


A Change Of Perception

by CeriseALaReine



Category: Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Ace is an angsty teen, Alternate Universe, Angst, Domestic Discipline, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Fluff, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Manipulation, Mentor/Protégé, Minor Violence, Non-Consensual Spanking, Non-Graphic Violence, Profanity, Semi-OOC Scarecrow, Swearing, hello darkness my old friend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:01:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 30,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23659537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeriseALaReine/pseuds/CeriseALaReine
Summary: After the events of ’Wild Cards 1 & 2’ Ace intends to take back control of her life but this is not as easy as it seems – The Joker is no longer the only dark mind who sees potential in her.
Relationships: Jonathan Crane & Ace, Jonathan Crane & Other(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Fly The Cage

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of points before the story – I’ve labelled Scarecrow as OOC in this and I’ve done so because Scarecrow has been redesigned so much I cannot really include everything. There are some versions I personally like more than others so I’m drawing on those for this version. I personally like the version from Batman: The Animated Series so this version will be taking mostly after that one but for all intends and purposes consider this OOC and AU and no one will be disappointed. 
> 
> For both characters I’ve not been able to find a definitive age but for the purposes of this story I’ve set some ages for them. Scarecrow is middle-aged in this because I feel personally it makes more sense with his career and status post crime. So Cillian Murphy would work for this too. On Ace I could find nothing save that she is ’the youngest of the Royal Flush Gang’. She looks to me to be in her teens based on design and with her childlike personality and relative height I’ve placed her at 14. Feel free to imagine either characters age and appearance however you want though. 
> 
> Please, please don't read this is you cannot handle any of the warnings in the tags. Better safe than sorry.

The wind was uncomfortably cold and most, who had the option, had sought indoors tonight. It was only a few days since the ’game show’ which had set her free. Ace walked with a determination in her steps, which was not supported by her eyes wandering left and right, searching fearfully for her next options. She wore what she had worn that night, but over the black and white leotard, she wore a grey coat. It was much too big for her. Indeed, it wasn’t hers at all but the man she took it from certainly was convinced it was when he let her take it. It was a hard thing, morality. She’d sworn to herself, she’d have some, when she had walked away from the Joker and Batman on the floor. This was a new life, a new beginning. When the night wind came, it was not that easy to be too good to steal a coat.

Her lipstick had worn off, and her eyeliner had smeared. She had placed her club-shaped hair barrette in the coat pocket and so she passed by people unrecognized in the night. Control. She needed it, craved it. Ace was alone on a gloomy Las Vegas street without money or friends and control was the last thing she felt. Emotions swirled inside her. A part of her wanted both to break down sobbing and cry for help but the other swelled with fury and pride. It had whispered many times already that she shouldn’t feel bad for taking anything. After all, society owed her, didn’t it? And she didn’t need anyone’s help! She was stronger than any of them! Still, it was awfully chilly at night and the streets seemed endless when there was no destination.

It was one thing to not know where to go. It was not everyone who had the option to go anywhere. Not everyone in the country had watched the broadcast. Some people had spent the night in solitary confinement at Arkham because the staff weren’t competent enough to understand the definition of ‘rawgabbit’ and that they were being exactly that. So much for civilized company! Ah, but they had read of it in the papers and keenly studied the inmate patients and staff who had been affected by this curious girl the Joker had taken under his wing. Leave it to that clown to completely miss the potential of such a thing! Of course it was all a joke to him and he had paid for it. Where was the girl now? The news wouldn’t say, so there was a good chance she had not been taken into custody.

Dr Crane needed to act quickly and it seemed, he could not do it alone at this moment with so little time to plan an escape. Jervis Tetch would serve. The man was a frequent partner of his for cards and chess and it was not difficult to convince him to join his escape and unknowingly provide a distraction for law enforcement. Jervis was a man of science but Crane didn’t respect him as much as onlookers might think. After all, Crane was very aware of the delusions and mental issues of the other and thought less of him for having invented his greatest weapon not in the pursuit of science but in the pursuit of some woman. Dr Crane himself was of course not in the slightest bit insane and continuously dedicated all his activities to his science. This too would be purely for the sake of science and thinking of the possibilities he glared at a passing nurse who can recently referred to him as ‘having delusions of grandeur’.

Well, he’d soon show them. He sat quietly in the common area, watching Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, sitting curled up together on the couch watching some sort of nature documentary. Jonathan twirled a pen between his fingers. Jervis would be busy elsewhere right now fulfilling his first bit of the bargain, then after nightfall the Scarecrow would strike. The pen was left on the table top as Dr Crane slowly rose from his seat. He cast another glance at Quinn who had fallen asleep on Pamela’s shoulder. Poor girl, he thought. To think a psychologist could fall for the Joker’s manipulation. Well, she was young. Only an intern. She should never have been anywhere near him. Another testament to the absolute incompetence of this place. With a slight smirk he retreated to his room, where he would prepare himself for the difficult tasks ahead.

Several days had passed since the break out of two inmates in Arkham but the news of this didn’t travel much further than the surroundings of Gotham. In the streets of Las Vegas, a young girl was carefully strolling down a street. It was afternoon and Ace had something she needed to do before returning to the storage room of the building where she was currently squatting. Ace was hunting. Occasionally she managed get a bit of cash from random people in the street by simply asking, but the average American was not as generous as she would have liked. She was hungry and a day ago she had decided, that she would use her powers. It was risky, because she didn’t have as much control over it, as she would like. If she truly wanted someone to believe a certain thing it could turn out that way but other times people just adopted an emotion from her and their own brains supplied suitable hallucinations. Ace blamed the pains in her stomach, her tired eyes and stiff body. She justified it all to herself by choosing who she deemed unlikely to be ‘innocent’.

Of course Ace had a predisposition to think ill of the world now and so her judgements were quite superficial. She favoured the quiet streets, where she might do it without interference. It wasn’t truly safe. She couldn’t keep her eyes on many people at a time and there was always the chance someone might hurt her before she could do something. One guy had tried that, but Ace had managed to flee the scene. She had been wandering the streets since morning and had yet to see a good opportunity. At this point Ace was quite some way from the place she slept at night and this neighbourhood seemed rather industrial. A worn and graffiti-covered bench leaned against the wall of a building near a dirty bus stop sign. She was tired and needed a place to safely watch the street. There were only two people there besides her.

A little way down in the direction she had come from a man was walking casually along the pavement. He seemed middle-aged and had a rather kindly appearance. Down the street in the other direction a young man was leaning against the wall, smoking something that didn’t look like tobacco. Badly done tattoo’s covered his arms, neck and parts of his face. Ace glanced back at the other man. He was much nearer her. She’d have to wait until he was gone and then she’d go for that young man. Of course she knew perfectly well that the older man was more likely to have money but between the two she couldn’t defend picking him. So she sat there and waited, hoping no busses would come and blow her cover. She glanced at the young man every so often. He was kicking gravel and rubbish around and looked to be nearing the end of his smoking. A sense of urgency filled her.

“Excuse me, Miss. Do you have the time?” a kind voice stated behind her. Ace whipped her head around and came face to face with the other man, who stood in front of her and looked down at her. He was very tall and had reddish-brown hair. Certainly he was from out of town or something because Ace didn’t recognize his dialect.

“Erh,” replied Ace and quickly lowered her gaze before anything could happen. Then she looked back over at the young man, who was putting out the remains of his joint on the wall. She opened her mouth again to announce she didn’t and that she had no watch, but before she could, the man spoke again. This time, his voice came from right beside her.

“Is that gentleman a friend of yours?”

Ace nearly jumped. The man had taken a seat beside her on the bench. She looked back to the other guy but he was now strolling away. Ace grimaced. There went that option.

“Damn,” she muttered completely unaware she was saying it out loud.

“Excuse you,” said the man by her side.

His tone was ever so slightly admonishing but overall very friendly. Ace studied her hands for a moment. He’d have to do then. Even if he was just some nice stranger waiting for the bus. The pains in her stomach reminded her that she couldn’t really afford to have sympathy, still she couldn’t help it. She felt dizzy. That was what came of going without food. Still, the world was starting to spin. A strange scent filled her nostrils. Why now? Now, when she had a chance to do something about it? Ace began turning her head to finally look at the man the way only _she_ could, but she hadn’t turned her face halfway before a sharp pain in her neck caused her to shriek. It didn’t take many seconds. She didn’t even have time to consider whether she’d just been stung by some insect before everything went dark and Ace was floating in a sea of unconsciousness.


	2. A Grim Dawn

Ace woke up slowly. Her head was hurting and it was this pain that first penetrated the mists of sleep. It took a while for her body to rouse enough that she could move her limbs. There was some light dancing on her closed eyelids and it made her reluctant to open them. The next thing she became aware of was how comfortably she was lying and - were it not for the headache and an awful feeling in her stomach, she would have gladly stayed put and slept in.

But wait, where was the chill that usually woke her in the little storage room? And the cardboard she had been sleeping on was never this soft! Ace’s eyes flicked open in an instant. The first thing she saw was light. A window was on the wall in front of her. The curtains were drawn but all they did was block her view, for light shone through the fabric and fell on her bed. Ace looked down at herself. She was lying on a bed alright. The grey coat she had stolen was folded very neatly over a chair at the foot of the bed. Her boots likewise stood there. She pushed the covers a bit off herself. Next to the clean blue-striped linen her leotard looked quite dirty and dusty.

Where on earth was she and how did she get here? Ace went over the events she could remember. She remembered the young man with the tattoo’s. She remembered the hunger which she still could feel. She was at the bus stop. There was something else. Someone else. The creaking of door hinges made Ace jump up into a sitting position and she looked behind her to see a door swing open.

“Ah! You’re awake. Excellent,” said the man who she instantly recognized as the man, who had sat beside her on the bench.

His tone was jovial. He was dressed in a grey suit and carried a tray. He placed the tray on a small side table and then lifted the table over to her bedside. On the tray was some salad, two pieces of toast and some jam as well as a glass of water.

“Good morning, child,” he continued and then made his way over to the window where he pulled back the curtains.

“I advise you eat. You seem like you haven’t eaten in days.”

Ace stared at him in shock, ignoring the food even if it was hard. Then something came to her.

“You!” she cried. “What did you do to me! Where have you taken me?”

The man remained where he was and kept his back to her. His silhouette made it very clear that his tall and slender frame looked quite bizarre. As if his arms and legs were too long and thin for his body.

“You’re weak. You should rest and regenerate. Your powers will be again what they were. Not all the world has forgotten you. I am here to help you. I do not expect gratitude… but don’t try anything.”

“What do you want from me?!” Ace demanded.

Whoever this freak was he knew her. There was no way she’d let another maniac like the Joker take advantage of her.

“Ace,” he replied, turned around with an affronted and hurt look on his face.

The look appeared so sincere that Ace actually felt a pang of guilt for having caused it. Still her ‘stranger danger’ alarms were going of left and right. The man had an odd birdlike face with a long pointy nose and clear, intense eyes. A silence followed before the man slowly walked over to her.

“We are not so different you and I. Misunderstood wonders. Unique. Mistreated. They’ve failed you, Ace, and I’ll say it now, it’s not you fault the Joker took advantage. He’s an aimless fiend and no better than the scoundrels who caged you. I have been caged as well, Ace.”

He sat down on the bed and Ace scooted further away from him.

“I only want to see that they cannot do to you what they did to me. You’re magnificent.”

She looked him in the eye, looking for any indicating he wasn’t telling the truth. He didn’t seem crazy. Not like the Joker. And Ace didn’t recognize his face from anywhere. Still she narrowed her eyes.

“You did something to me,” she said.

“You were alone, frightened, I couldn’t risk of you doing anything to me before you knew my intentions. It’s alright, I don’t blame you. I’m Dr Jonathan Crane,” he replied holding out his hand.

Ace didn’t even realize he’d shifted the discussion of blame and forgiveness to her. She just automatically took his hand and shook it, while trying to remember if she’d heard that name before.

Dr Crane smiled. He watched her carefully. A girl like Ace was a slave to her emotions. She had too much power for someone so young. She was frightened of him only because she was weak and he had pounced when she wasn’t paying attention. It delighted him. Seeing fear in someone’s eyes always did. Fear was so easily manipulated. He’d need to sustain her fears. It was necessary that she never believed she could take him on and win. The girl was unsure of herself.

“What kind of doctor are you?” she asked in a rather timid voice.

Good. She was calming down. It wasn’t a coincidence that Jonathan introduced himself with his title – not that it would ever occur to him not to make it clear that he was a highly acclaimed scientist, if these days only in his own mind. No, the girl might hate authority but she’d never really experienced anything else, save abandonment. There was safety in doing what you told.

“Oh, a scientist. A researcher in the realm of psychology,” Dr Crane responded in a solemn air, gesturing with his hand.

“Did… Did you help people? Like, crazy people?”

Her eyes were wide. Ace was not liking the idea really. She’d been tested by doctors and scientists all her life. Jonathan sensed her unease. He nodded.

“Certainly,” he replied.

Ace looked at her hands. That was why then. He thought she was some kind of crazy person and he wanted to study her.

“Ace.”

She looked up. Dr Crane leaned forward. Not much, only as far as he dared. He was not so foolish as to think he could touch her, so he gently reached out his hand and patted the bedcover, draped over her foot.

“That doesn’t matter. I can see what you’re thinking. You’re not insane, child, and you’re not wrong. You’re just as sane as I am.”

There it was. Just what Dr Crane had been looking for. A slight smile on her face – only for a moment before she schooled her expression, but it was there. Ace breathed out. Perhaps this person wasn’t so bad after all. She thought she knew what crazy looked like – like the Joker. This neat, well-spoken academic seemed like he’d be the furthest thing from that and it felt good to hear him say those things to her. He was the only one who ever had. Jonathan watched her intently. Everything was going exactly the way he wanted it. It was almost too easy. Still, he wasn’t going to press his luck and rush this. He rose from the bed and looked down at her.

“You must really eat something. Once you’ve finished your breakfast I have a little present for you,” he said firmly.

Ace brushed her hair behind her ear, intrigued.

“What is it?” she asked. She wasn’t even fearful of what it might be. When this shift had occurred she didn’t know.

“Ah!” said Dr Crane with a slight chuckle. “Food first.”

That last bit was an order, the first direct one he’d dared try. Of course he said it in as jovial a manner as he judged suitable and waited for a reaction. Ace raised her shoulders and smiled shyly.

“Okay,” she said and looked down at the tray.

Satisfied, Dr Crane and nodded and went to the door. Not until he had closed it behind him did he grin. It was a dangerous game to play but each little success was a pleasant stroke of his already enormous ego. 

“I dare say I still have it,” he chuckled to himself before waking up two henchmen sleeping on the couches of the small rented apartment.

Ace found it difficult to eat. She was very hungry, but she was too hungry and therefore had to eat slowly. Once she had finished, Ace felt better and started to realize the surreal situation she was in. She got out of the bed and immediately rushed to the window. She saw buildings outside. Tall buildings, looming over her. It looked nothing like Las Vegas. The reality of having been not only taken by Dr Crane but seemingly moved quite a distance punched her in the gut. She started hyperventilating. Instinctively she began trying to open the window, just to have an escape route, but the locks where old and she struggled to move them. The door opened behind her and Ace let go of the window and spun around, panting.

Dr Crane remained in the doorway, watching her. He didn’t comment on it or the worried and fearful look in her eyes. He didn’t expect miracles. Instead he calmly closed the door behind him and entered the room, holding something behind his back.

“I thought you might be pleased to see this. It was some difficulty to acquire it but I was able to do so,” he announced and held forth a familiar doll.

Ace’s eyes fixed upon it. She recognized it at once. It was hers. She’d left it that night at the studio. It was the one item the government had let her keep from her parents’ house.

“Kitty,” she whispered. But how? Her eyes much have expressed as much.

“A little money in the right places can do wonders,” said Dr Crane.

He stepped nearer her and handed her the doll. Ace took it and held it against her chest as if she was afraid someone might take it. Still struggling to get her breathing under control she buried her fingers in the doll’s hair. Dr Crane studied her coldly. Did he dare? After some deliberation he carefully placed his hand on her arm. Ace shuddered but didn’t withdraw.

“Breathe,” he said calmly, before looking to the doll. “You must keep her safe.”

Safety, protection, a space to rest. He withdrew his hand. In time she’d ask him for that and then her powers would be his.


	3. Cleverly Disguised

“You dimwits!” cried Dr Crane and tore at his hair.

“Boss, you didn’t say…” began Tommy, the taller of the two henchmen.

It had been about two days. Things were becoming tense.

“I gave you clear, concise orders! How on earth can you fail to comprehend such simple instructions? _No_ witnesses! _No_ attracting attention!”

Jonathan’s limbs flailed about while he tried to control his temper. Ace was in her room and he didn’t want to alarm her.

“But boss…” said the other idiot, Nate, from his position on the couch.

Dr Crane pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled. He needed money. They’d need supplies – especially for his little pet project. She needed clothes for one thing. Badly. And they needed to get to their next destination. The girl had worn just her coat yesterday and Jonathan had paid the next door neighbour, an elderly woman, to wash Ace’s suit. He wasn’t exactly fond of this lifestyle but he couldn’t afford to draw attention. He was wanted of course. The last thing he needed was any member of the Justice League, least of all Batman, giving him trouble just now. These two creatures before him somehow how thought armed robbery was as inconspicuous as simply pickpocketing or stealing and pawning the spoils.

“No matter…” muttered Jonathan.

He’d have swung at them any other day.

“Hand over the money. _Now._ And don’t you dare leave this apartment until I give you permission.”

He huffed and glared at them and the two men did look terrified. They never really knew, where they had their employer. It took all of his self-control not to launch into a loud, passionate rant. Now he’d have to work around this disaster! Dr Crane made a mental note to whip those two within an inch of their lives, when he no longer had need of them. He’d managed to keep Ace inside for this long and not without difficulty.

He couldn’t force her of course. The girl was far more powerful than him, only he didn’t let her know it. He’d managed it by telling her the government was looking for her. The fear in her face as she’d heard that had brought him a great deal of amusement. Whether they were looking for her or not in actuality didn’t interest him. He kept her in for his own safety, as he was most certainly someone the police might wish to talk to, but also to isolate her and make it easier to work on her. He took the fruit of the robbery misadventures and locked away half of it in his own suitcase. It wasn’t even that much. If it had to be robbery at least they could have gone for bank, but no, they risked everything for the daily earnings of a corner store. The rest he folded neatly and placed in his breast pocket.

He was beginning to look a little scruffy himself. His hair was a mess as usual but he did care for his clothes. He knocked on the door to Ace’s room. Ace was lying on her stomach on the bed, flipping through some magazines Dr Crane had brought her. Hearing his knock, she called out to him to come in.

She didn’t know what to think of him. He was kind and understanding like no one she’d ever known – and yet there was something deeply unsettling about him. He made her nervous. She didn’t trust him completely but she’d had no reason to think ill of him other than the manner in which he’d brought her here. That she had asked him about a few times, but somehow the conversation always shifted and she never got an answer. He’d said they were alike. Did he have powers like hers? Stronger than hers? What if he suddenly decided he didn’t like her and hurt her? That possibility made Ace jumpy and caused her – more often than she liked, to tread carefully and do her best not to upset him. Of course she’d not seen him upset yet and his kind tone always made it seem like he couldn’t possibly be angry. Still from time to time she felt like there was something else there, a coldness, an icy sharpness that was dangerous. He’d never ever said anything to her nor done anything to suggest that. She had no instance to pinpoint but in the back of her mind she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something she wasn’t seeing.

“Good afternoon,” he greeted her. “I have a special announcement… We’re going out today.”

That she certainly hadn’t expected. He’d told her numerous times it was too dangerous for her to go outside, why had he changed his mind? The confusion on her face was evident.

“You need a wardrobe, I’m certain,” said Jonathan Crane from his position in the doorway.

“But you said… You said they’ll see me!” Ace objected and raised herself up a bit on her elbows.

Jonathan smiled.

“I’ll be there to protect you. We shall be quick about it and then, hopefully, you shall also be harder to recognize. It is, however, necessary that we venture out. Needs must as we depart tonight.”

“We’re what?!” Ace cried.

Dr Crane nodded.

“It’s best that way. I have better connections elsewhere. It will be safer.”

That made sense to Ace. She wasn’t very happy with hanging around this place but as she was given food and a good place to sleep so far it seemed better than the street - until she found something better. There was also the fact that she didn’t yet know what this guy’s deal was and what he’d think of her leaving. The fact that he would take her out reassured her that she wasn’t a prisoner but a guest. Dr Crane turned sideways as if about to leave the room.

“Oh! Dr Crane?” Ace spoke up again. “I… I haven’t got any money.”

She certainly would like something other than her coat and leotard to wear. As she’d been given food and shelter so far she wasn’t exactly thinking she’d be expected to pay but she wanted to make sure it wouldn’t be a loan of some kind.

“Not to worry,” the birdlike man replied. “I’ll take care of it. I think I owe you that after the fright I gave you. Make yourself ready.”

With that he left her alone. Ace looked to the doll which was lying at the foot of her bed. At this point Ace was actively aware she held opposing opinions about all of this. It was like the halves of her brain were working in opposite directions. Half of her wanted to like this person and believe all he said, because she found she really liked the idea of having a friend, support and someone she could trust. The other half was cautiously planning escape routes. She had compromised by saying to herself that she really should remain to find out if this was really a good deal and also to find out exactly what power Dr Crane had so she knew how dangerous he could be. Ace told herself that she could always just run off out the window and as long as she had that option it couldn’t be that bad to stick around and take advantage of the free food and shelter. She quickly put on her coat after getting off the bed.

_‘I can probably find out what city I’m in,’_ she thought to herself. _‘And so what if the old dude gets me some new stuff?’_

She hesitated before the door and stepped outside. She’d not really gone exploring much in the apartment. Dr Crane had not said she couldn’t but she sensed he didn’t like her to. It didn’t matter as she had seen the two other guys who were there and didn’t like the look of them, so she only ever really went out to use the bathroom. But now they were really going outside. Ace found she was nervous.

The sunlight seemed so strangely warm and intense. This town was nowhere near as warm as Las Vegas and had far more clouds in the sky but after all these days inside it seemed brighter, almost as bright as she had found the sun when the Joker broke her out of the facility. Ace did seem unnaturally pale in the noonday sun, but nothing so out of place as Dr Crane, who really only seemed to be able to appear normal in a dusty library or something. At least that’s how Ace saw it.

They entered into a store, which was large enough that there was a crowd to hide in and it had most of the thing Ace would need. Dr Crane most definitely did not enjoy being in the women’s section of a clothing store but he didn’t let it show. He had no intention of staying out longer than needed, when he knew he was in danger of being recognized and besides, he didn’t want Ace out too much either. He very quickly retreated to a chair near the changing rooms and let Ace run around by herself. Knowing exactly where she was, wasn’t worth looking at 20 different shades ballerina shoes. At first Ace was quite cautious. She didn’t really believe he’d actually spend any money on her. To test this, she also picked out expensive things as well as things she liked, just to see. Before long she had a pile of clothes, shoes and accessories which she carried to the changing rooms followed by a blonde lady in the store uniform.

“Miss! Excuse me!” she kept squeaking.

Ace ignored her and dumped all the stuff in the changing room. Then the lady grabbed her wrist and turned her.

“Miss! Excuse me! You have too many items to…”

The lady’s eyes went wide. Ace didn’t like people touching her. She certainly didn’t like being grabbed without a warning and before Ace even considered what she was doing, her eyes were fixed upon the employee’s, whose mind began unravelling before her.

“Ace,” a stern voice said, and in the next moment the lady’s hand was pried off Ace’s wrist.

The teenager flinched, and held her own wrist as if hurt. The blonde lady looked confused, as if she had no idea what had just happened.

_‘No, don’t tell me I blew it,’_ Ace thought to herself. She didn’t want to go back. Never again.

“Miss, why don’t you help my young friend sort her items and hand her what she may take in,” Dr Crane continued.

His tone was even but Jonathan’s heart was pounding and he wanted to give that girl a good kick up her backside. He made no comment to her, simply raised his eyebrow and gave her a look. It was evident to him she didn’t want to give him any reaction, but she blushed nevertheless. Satisfied he returned to his seat. The lady would do as he had told her. She wasn’t going to mention her experience, he knew that, because they had not given her any reason to believe she wasn’t the only one, who had just experienced something. No one wanted to out themselves as crazy.

While he stuck his fingers in his ears to block out the obnoxious music blaring out from the speakers, Ace set to work finding the things, she actually liked. She did so silently, ignoring the ‘helpful tips’ of the employee, who clearly didn’t think her picks were any good. In the end she selected fours outfits, two pairs of black boots and a stash of makeup, earrings and bracelets. The style of the items was a little confused, some pieces seemed very childish, others almost goth, but Ace really didn’t have a defined taste.

“Good gracious,” said Dr Crane as he walked towards her and her final selection.

Ace opened her mouth and was about to ask what bits of this she might take, when Dr Crane continued:

“Is that what the young wear these days? Go to the counter then, go on.”

He didn’t approve of what he could see there. Why on earth would she need makeup? These were ridiculous expenses, really, but he was spoiling her for a reason. He’d indulge her if it meant she’d come to like him. Ace was not expecting him to let her take everything but you didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, did you?

Once they excited the store, she noticed Dr Crane was walking much faster than when they went out. It was clear he wanted to get back as soon as he could. Ace was carrying her bags by herself. She didn’t complain, he’d just thrown an awful lot of cash at her after all.

“Oh, shit!” she gasped and stopped right in her tracks.

Jonathan paused. Her language annoyed him almost as much as stopping him had.

_“Yes?”_ she asked her calmly.

“Erh,” said Ace, looking everywhere but at Dr Crane. “I… Could you give me some money? There’s… Something I forgot…”

Jonathan froze.

“You’re not running off alone. It’s too dangerous. You might be seen by someone,” he replied.

He didn’t care if she was seen by the King of Thailand, he wasn’t letting his prized possession run off with his money and the clothes, never to show again. He moved closer to her to indicate he would escort her.

“No!” snapped Ace. “It’s just… I need some things… Like, _girl_ things.”

Ace blushed scarlet from having to discuss this with a total stranger, but she wasn’t keen on suddenly being surprised and unprepared. There was silence and Ace didn’t dare look at him to see his reaction.

“Hand me your bags,” he said with no discernable emotion.

She did as she was requested and two bills were placed in her hand.

“Hurry,” he said. “I’ll watch you.”

Ace rushed to the nearest store that might carry these items. It didn’t take her long to make the additional purchase. She had to get the cheapest stuff because she had been handed a quite modest amount of money. She hid her items in her coat pocket, certainly not wanting to discuss it further and stepped outside. The change was in her hand, ready to be returned. She looked up and down the street to spot Dr Crane, as he had clearly moved from where he was, and it was while she was doing this that she saw it. Just for a slit second, in the crowd she saw someone looking straight at her. She’d never seen that person before in her life but the moment she stared into that distinctive pair of shades he was wearing, she knew. He didn’t move initially, then took a step in her direction and Ace didn’t think, she ran!

She shoved her way through the crowd. There were shrieks and harsh words aimed at her from every direction. She gasped for air and her eyes watered. Suddenly someone grabbed hold of her arm and pulled her roughly to the side and onwards into a side street. Ace had tears in her eyes. She wasn’t thinking straight and lashed out with her only other defence and punched at the blurred person. Both her hands were swiftly secured.

“What do you think you’re doing, you little...”

It was Dr Crane’s voice and Ace didn’t even register that she’d never ever heard such venom in his tone, but she was so relieved that she fell against his chest with a sob. Dr Crane cut his rebuke of midsentence and stared at the girl. Then he released her wrists and she withdrew her hands to her chest, almost hugging herself. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her outwards from himself so her could see her face. The fear was evident. Immediately Jonathan switched his tone to that kind, caring one he’d been using for some days now.

“Whatever is the matter, child? Are you hurt?”

Ace was hyperventilating and kept glancing towards the street, expecting to see the man there, coming for her. Nothing was there.

“No,” she said. “I just… I just didn’t know where you were, that’s all.”

She didn’t know why she didn’t tell him, why she didn’t trust him. Perhaps it had something to do with that sneering, furious tone she’d heard just before, but Ace wasn’t conscious of it. Jonathan on the other was in no doubt.

_‘She’s lying. Who does she think I am?’_ he thought to himself. He picked up her bags from the ground and handed her one. This wasn’t the time and place to get something out of her.

“We’d better get back,” he stated coldly.

“You… You haven’t told me where we’re going yet,” Ace sniffed, and furiously wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

“You’ll see,” he replied a little more sweetly.

They’d needed to get out of town anyway with the blunder his henchmen had pulled, but after seeing that look on Ace’s face and knowing she was hiding something he certainly was keen move at once. They walked swiftly. Jonathan made sure to take a detour and constantly checked if they were being followed. He saw nothing.

Ace didn’t seem to notice. She kept her attention on her feet and kept a little closer to Jonathan. She went over the event again and again in her head. She couldn’t shake the unease. She was frightened of being taken back, she was frightened of the man she was with as well. His words stood out clearly to her now and she didn’t dare move too far from him because the question remained: If she really had been running away, what would he have done to her? Ace suddenly wasn’t sure she’d want to know. The longer time she spent in his company though, the more she preferred this unknown to the horror she knew.


	4. City Of The Night

Gotham was a mess of tall, dark teeth rising towards the sky and threatening to crush any living thing. It was a terror by night and an oddly pleasing art deco city by day. Ace saw it first shrouded in darkness. Dr Crane breathed more easily as they drove into town. To him, Gotham was the monster he knew. The dark underbelly was familiar and he knew how to survive here. It was not lost on him though what the girl might feel. It didn’t take a psychology professor to see why she might be attracted to sun, warmth and blue skies considering where she’d grown up.

They’d driven to an industrial building next to the site that was formerly Crane Chemicals. There was no telling what those buildings were used for now, but Jonathan was pleased to note it didn’t seem like there was much activity in his old habitat. The building they arrived at was a two-story building with wide factory windows – all boarded up. The building was old, last century. It had once been some form of smaller factory itself but had long since ceased to be a place of production. In the days of Crane Chemicals, it had been a part of the complex and used as an office building. Now it was abandoned.

Rubbish littered the sparse grass on the grounds. The walls were covered with rather rude art. This was where Crane had gone following his recent escape. He fished a key out of his pocket. The spare key had been inside the building in a cupboard. It was easier than breaking in again on his return and it looked far better in front of the girl.

Ace on the other hand had been getting steadily jumpy as they’d gone further and further into the city to emerge in this neighbourhood. I wasn’t until both Dr Crane and the two bigfoots had both exited the car, that Ace truly realized this was their destination. She felt a sudden knot in her stomach. She was not entirely certain what she’d expected. They were on the run, Dr Crane had been pretty clear that she’d be wanted - and she’d seen so for herself, so it would make sense to find some place out of sight, but the stillness and decay of the place made her feel isolated and vulnerable.

“Come this way, my dear,” Dr Crane said when he noticed her standing about.

He watched her more carefully than she knew. Dr Crane let her inside the cold, slightly damp building.

“Are… Are we renting this?” she said, timidly.

She was nervous and the slight hint of indignation and disbelief in her voice amused him.

“I own this place – It will serve until we can find better accommodation,” he replied, lying through his teeth on both counts.

He hadn’t had property to his name for years. There was a walled up passage in the cellar which connected this place to the factory. That was its other prominent bonus.

“You may choose any room you like for yourself,” he continued, gesturing wildly in every direction.

He really didn’t care much where she’d place herself. They’d get any furniture as they needed it. Jonathan was quite confident in his own abilities to say the least, and he was certain there was less of a need for the ‘extravagance’ of comfort now that he had gotten some way under her skin. He didn’t expect her to object to the conditions now. Once they had settled in, he’d get Nate and Tommy to work on breaking down that barrier in the cellar.

Ace carefully ascended the stair to the second floor. She had her bag over her shoulder containing the clothes she was not currently wearing and her doll. She had folded her arms and was almost hugging herself as she looked about the place. The industrial look of the place and the boarded up windows turned her thoughts to concrete corridors, a world without windows entirely. On the second floor was one large room and several small ones. Ace selected one of the smaller ones where half the carpet had been torn up as the moist, old carpet covering all the floors repulsed her. She dragged a table across the room to her selected spot. Dr Crane had not said whether she’d get a bed again. This was quite a downgrade from the apartment they’d been in, but Ace told herself she should still be grateful – it still was better than that storage room, wasn’t it? Ace paused for a moment. She was just about to open her bag and take out some clothes to perhaps use as a makeshift bedding unless Dr Crane could get her a blanket, but she didn’t. Instead she crawled onto the table and pulled her knees to her chest. It was best to keep her bag packed, she told herself. Just in case. She wasn’t’ sure what she was suspecting but… Just in case.

She remained there for some time but as she had no watch, Ace wasn’t sure how much time had passed. She was tired and wanted to sleep but didn’t really dare to. This place was unfamiliar and scary. Her joints were becoming stiff. Finally, she slid off the table, leaving her bag there and ventured downstairs to investigate.

Heat met her when she had gone down the stairs. Inside the largest room in the ground floor, they had gotten some sort of heater up and running. Nate and Tommy were seated by it and there was no sign of Dr Crane. Ace carefully made her way closer to the heat source. The two henchmen were sharing some tins filled with what looked like hotdog sausages.

“Hey, you want some?”

It was Nate who spoke. The man was very skinny, had a big nest of shiny, greasy blonde hair and several scars on his arms. Ace shook her head ‘no’ and tried not to visibly withdraw from him. Tommy and Nate made her feel uneasy and like she’d touched something disgusting, just from being near them. They looked at her sometimes and there was something in their eyes – a casual cruelty, that made Ace feel like she was just a fly in their eyes, easily crushed. It felt like they saw no value in hear at all. What reason could they have for disliking her?

Whenever she was near them she sat as near Dr Crane as she could. She didn’t truly know what plan he had for her but it felt the safest place to be. She could take them on, she gathered, but didn’t think their boss would approve. It was best not to cause trouble. Speaking of their boss, where was he?

“Excuse me,” Ace said quietly.

The two men didn’t react but had continued their conversation – something about car radios. Ire flashed in Ace’s eyes. She didn’t like being ignored. She repeated herself a bit louder and Tommy, the tall one with the crooked nose, glanced at her in irritation.

“Ah! Ace, my dear!” a clear voice sounded and all three shifted their attention to the doorway, where Jonathan Crane stood.

He was carrying a crate of some kind. He carried it like a baby and with a great deal of effort brought it over to the small gathering.

“Where on God’s green earth had you got to?” he said cheerfully.

He very gingerly set down the crate and sat down on it. Although Tommy was slightly taller than him, his naturally tall frame and the fact that the others were on the floor, made him seem to be looming over them on a throne. He looked from Ace to the men and back again. His expression never faltered and one would never have guessed he’d studied the tension and situation if one didn’t know. He didn’t comment on it. Instead he fished an orange out of his pocket and set to peeling it.

“Just upstairs,” Ace replied, trying to conceal the discontentment in her voice.

“Ah! So you were!” replied Dr Crane – mostly to his orange, although he knew very well were she was at all times of the day.

“It’s just…” Ace began and the two goons paused their eating as if she’d said something unexpected. “I was just wondering… Are we to live here? I mean, it’s just that it’s quite cold and…”

Dr Crane didn’t flinch but continued to peel his fruit with a smile. It unnerved Ace as she could see Tommy and Nate gawking at her for voicing her questions and complaints. Still, she wasn’t so far along as to realize that masks weren’t flexible. Jonathan said nothing for a moment. He’d known she’d likely start asking questions but he’d flattered himself it might take a little longer. He removed the last bit of peel and parted the orange in sections before handing Ace one.

“Here you are,” he said. “Now, Ace, you’re completely right to question this…”

“But boss!” interrupted Tommy with indignation.

Jonathan held up a hand to silence him but for good measure he glared at the fool. He certainly didn’t appreciate being questioned and these two knew that and tried - when they remembered to, to avoid his temper. Ace was different. She’d follow the same rules soon enough but for now it was necessary to let her feel her opinion mattered. The girl held the orange section and starred at him.

“You’re a bright girl and so very good to think of such things,” he continued, condescension dripping from him.

“We had to move very quickly to keep you safe, Ace, with the government out looking for you we must all of us make a few sacrifices for now. It is only temporary I promise that, you’ll see I’ll soon have the funds to give you better things.”

Ace felt so terribly small. He looked at her so kindly and seemed almost a little sad that he couldn’t give her what she’d asked now. Yes, that was rather cruel of her to ask for more after all he had done for her, all he’d given her already. It was her fault they had to live this way after all. She wanted almost to croak out an apology but couldn’t quite do it.

“Don’t you worry. I’ll do my best,” Jonathan added, just to drive the point he was making home.

He reached out and Ace felt him awkwardly pet her hair twice like she was some sort of silly puppy. A shudder went through Ace. Half of her wanted to recoil and the other wanted that sort of seemingly positive attention, which she’d never received before, save for from the Joker from whom it was entirely disingenuous.

“Thomas, why don’t you go and see about some blankets?”

Grunts of discontentment sounded from Tommy but he slowly got up and dragged himself out of the room with the attitude of surly teenager. Ace silently ate her fruit and then afterwards had half a tin of baked beans. Dr Crane watched her. He liked her this way – cowed.

Jonathan eventually finished his own meal and got up. He places his crate on a nearby table and opened it to reveal a variety of bottles and packages. He had never run a very tight ship in the chemical industry as his factory had served only to support his own research, but had he known back then how careless his workers had been, he’d have thrown a fit. Now, he had cause to cheer things being stacked away in areas where it did not belong. He certainly couldn’t create the gas from these things but he could make simple explosives with this.

He called Ace over as he began to unpack it properly and Ace shuffled over dutifully. What followed was a long lecture on chemistry which Ace hardly understood a word of. She had received minimal schooling where she had been kept and didn’t even recognize half the words Dr Crane was saying. But he spoke with such eagerness and delight and Ace was eager herself to please him so she pretended to follow along as best she could. She had no idea what he was going to use it for – perhaps he had said it though, only in too complicated a way. It just felt nice to be included. I was so nice that he bothered. Dr Crane paused once in a while to give others to Nate who was put to work cleaning out the mess.

Tommy returned some time later carrying several wrapped up blankets in his arms. They were clearly all from the same store and Ace did think it was odd that a store should be open at this hour. Dr Crane handed her two of them and then she was ordered to bed. Ace had walked halfway up the stairs, before she’d even realized that was what had just happened. She walked into her chilly excuse for a room. It would have been warmer to stay below near the heater but Ace didn’t want to close her eyes anywhere near Nate and Tommy. Perhaps Dr Crane knew this? Or had he just sent her elsewhere for privacy or modesty reasons?

She unwrapped the blankets – one white and one mint green, and tried to make a bed on top of the table. She had no plans to sleep on the slightly damp floor. Once she had finished she sat on this makeshift bed in silence. Ace could hear voices from below. Dr Crane’s was the loudest but the floor muffled it and she could not make out the words. They were dragging stuff around, undoubtedly still fixing up the place. Her mind felt cloudy and the air the room so dense it was hard to breathe. She held on to the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles were white. Her shoulders shook and Ace was panicking. Where was all this emotion coming from? She needed air. She needed to breathe but she dared not go back downstairs and having been told to go up here. Why was that? They didn’t own her. And yet…

Making a decision, she rose and changed her clothes to black jeans and a sweater before crawling under the mint blanket. She waited and listened. They continued working downstairs for what felt like an hour before the noises there died out. Ace was completely still. She’d wait 20 minutes or so still. Lacking a watch, she initially tried to entertain herself by counting the seconds but she eventually lost her count and her interest. She just lay there and wondered whether it was safe to proceed.

A few minutes or so later she heard footsteps on the stairs. Ace froze completely. The footsteps came to her door and Ace shut her eyes tightly and almost held her breath.

 _‘Don’t let it be them. Don’t let it be them,’_ she thought over and over. Who were ‘they’? Usually her former captors. Now? Possibly Nate and Tommy. They way they looked at her. Were they finally sick of her getting to slack off? The door slowly creaked open.

The person remained in the doorway, watching her. It couldn’t be Nate and Tommy then, Ace reasoned. They’d have just killed her straight ahead. It had to be…

Dr Crane took a few steps into the room with a smirk on his face, still watching her. She was all curled up beneath the blanket. Her breathing was unnatural and her eyes too tightly shut. Did she really think she could fool him? Her pathetic attempts at deception were almost adorable. Still, her behaviour was promising. She feared – hopefully his disapproval. He turned on his heel and exited the room. Ace heard his footsteps going down the stairs.

Her eyes flicked open the moment he had left. She didn’t move but listened. After a while, when she felt enough time had passed she got up, stretched her arms and got off the table. She put on her boots and a short black jacket she’d picked out. Then she carefully began sneaking her way downstairs. The stairs creaked beneath her weight in places and each time she had to freeze and listen. Every moment she was sure she’d rouse the men. Walking past the door to the main room was agonizingly slow. She could hear breathing and the occasional snoring from inside. The front door was bolted and locked and Ace carefully unbolted it and turned the lock. A rather loud click was heard when she finally pushed the door open. Cold air hit her face and she threw caution to the wind and quickly stepped out and shut the door behind her.

She felt like slimy hands were touching her - pulling at her, and she tried to physically shake this feeling off. In the next moment she took off jogging down the street. The further she went the better she felt. Ace exhaled deeply and took to sprinting. Industrial streets gave way to each other and the lights of the city slowly enveloped her. Finally, the neighbourhood changed. Near a subway station she leaned against a wall and sank down into a crouching position as she tried to catch her breath. Her lungs and legs were burning.

“You’re a bit young to be out, aren’t you? Where are your parents?” said a voice.

Ace looked up to see a man in a uniform. Her eyes immediately went wide but it wasn’t a policeman. Her silence and fright didn’t seem to sit well with him regardless.

“Well? Scram! We don’t want any more of you punks damaging the station!” he sternly said.

“I can be here if I like,” Ace finally said after she’d located her spine.

She rose up to a standing position.

“Innocent people don’t run like that,” the man muttered.

“I’m not scared of you,” Ace said but began walking nonetheless.

She could break him if she wanted to. She could rip his mind apart. It was almost tempting. Just to feel in control. She didn’t know where she was. She didn’t know where she was going but it didn’t matter just this moment. The man made a few more comments about ‘kids running wild’ and other ridiculous things but Ace ignored him.

The further she walked, more the lights there were. She passed a few open corner stores but most windows were dark – except for the occasional display. Her face had no discernable expression. The night was cold but buzzing with the life of a large city. She’d never seen anything like this place. Everything seemed to tower of her in a rather intimidating and claustrophobic way and yet, there was something oddly charming to it. It suited her.

There were more and more people on the streets. Night owls perhaps. She sat down on a bench near a fountain. For the first time she considered what her next move should be. Should she just keep walking? Should she return to Dr Crane in the morning? That’s if she even could, because she actually wasn’t sure she’d find her way back again. All she wanted was room to breathe. She hadn’t exactly planned on running away or she’d have taken more stuff with her.

The massive flash of fire reflected in her black eyes. A roar filled her ears. The façade of a larger building down the street was torn off and scattered by the explosion. Screams and smoke filled the air. Ace jumped up on the bench but didn’t make a move to run. She watched in a mixture of fear and awe as a group of people ran down the street. People scattered before them, knocking over things in their path. She heard laughter. One of those men were laughing. He wore a long coat and seemingly a top hat and stood out quite a lot but the faces of these men were only silhouettes against the inferno behind them.

That laughter. It tore into her. It wasn’t him, but she recognized something that she’d heard in the Joker’s laugh. Madness. She jumped off the bench. Anger burned in her veins and she gritted her teeth. Then Ace shoved past members of the fleeing crowd and marched straight towards the culprits, her eyes alight with more than fury.


	5. Fire and Fury

It must have looked suicidal – and it probably was! A short teenage girl marching straight towards an explosion and the people who had caused it. Ace picked up her pace and was almost jogging towards them. Her eyes were fixed on the man in the centre. The one with the top hat who had been laughing. The moment he spotted her the laughing ceased though. At first an expression of fear came over his face. The men beside him didn’t cease their activities, and carried a number of large bags and crates with strangely expressionless faces. However, it was only a flash in the man with the top hat’s eyes. The orange light from the fire danced over Ace and his expression changed to surprise. Ace didn’t think about that. She didn’t wonder whether he’d thought she was someone else. No, she was on autopilot. Her fingers were twitching.

_‘Only the bad ones.’_

She’d told herself this when she’d resorted to robbing people on the streets of Las Vegas and she’d managed not to think about the ones she’d left behind. Some of them definitely with their brains scrambled but most, as she’d grown weaker, probably very disturbed. This was nothing. In this moment she remembered so clearly seeing the Joker before her. That horrid device in his hand which kept her captive all her life. His pleading and begging as she’d torn into his mind. She’d felt nothing for him. There was not a shred of sympathy. Ace had no fully formed idea of bad or good and she didn’t know how to truly recognize who was what. What she did know was whether someone was being bad or good to _her_.

Then finally she was close enough to clearly see his eyes. This meant he could see hers too. He yelled out something to the men surrounding him but Ace wasn’t even listening. He’d looked her in the eye and that was a fatal mistake for anyone. A strange look came over Ace’s face and her eyes seemed to take on a different sheen but it was hard to see in the odd lighting exactly what it was. It only took a few second before Ace clawed her way through his mind. It didn’t feel like being inside someone’s thoughts. It felt like crushing a flower, tearing the petals apart with your hands. It was satisfying in the moment to feel a mind shredding itself. A fleeting high.

The man’s eyes widened and he stopped dead in his tracks. Ace slowed down. He’d have no idea what was going on. The world would melt around him and he’d be hallucinating wildly in a few more seconds. In the next moment she heard a sound – like something swishing or slashing through the air. Her hair moved with the sound right, behind her, and then - before she could react, a hand grabbed her face from behind, covering her mouth and nose. Panicking, Ace twisted and struggled, but the person held onto her torso and dragged her backwards. Something was in their hand – some manner of cloth and it had a foul, chemical smell that seemed to almost burn in her eyes and nose.

The screaming, fire and people around her blurred into a black and orange mess. Ace scratched, kicked and screamed. Her cries were muffled by the cloth and although she definitely hit someone, they didn’t budge and her struggles only unbalanced her. Her boots dragged across the asphalt as she repeatedly lost her footing. She felt dizzy and dark spots danced in front of her eyes. It suddenly became very hard to do anything at all and she went almost limp in her assailant’s grasp. The sound of helicopters approaching could be heard and the cloth disappeared from Ace’s face. Instead she was now moved with speed until her body collapsed entirely as deadweight and Ace blacked out.

She opened her eyes in narrow slits and she was sure only a second could have passed but clearly that wasn’t the case. All she could register was that she wasn’t lying on the street but somewhere soft and then there was the voices. She wasn’t sure how many. The world was a haze like she was just waking up and the dreams and sleep had not yet let entirely go of her. They were arguing.

“That’s ridiculous!” A stranger’s voice cried.

The sound was shrill and Ace hissed at this disturbance.

“How dare you! You’d be done for! I’m not entertaining your opinion!” said a familiar voice, however, Ace couldn’t remember where she’d heard it before. Her brains were porridge.

“I want in! Whatever you’re doing!” 

This other voice was becoming frantic.

“You can have your freedom!” was the furious reply. “Get out! _Out_ , I say! And I swear to the heavens, Tetch, if you even _think_ …”

“Ha!” interrupted the first voice.

“You’re not leaving me any choice,” said the second.

Ace suddenly slammed into a padded surface and fell off whatever she’d been lying on. She moaned in more surprise than pain but no one paid attention to her. Her head was spinning. She’d been moving and had now come to a full stop much too suddenly. There was sounds of struggle near her. She heard a string of curses but the darkness was already closing in. Then there was only the empty void.

Her body was stiff, cold and aching when she once again resurfaced from this unnatural slumber. Someone was pulling at her and eventually hoisted her up and carried her in their arms. By the sound of it, not without some difficulty. The air was cold and she moved, wiggled and did her best to resist.

“Don’t you _dare_ ,” a voice sneered but Ace’s feet hit the ground nonetheless.

She’d have collapsed but the person kept a hold of her torso and she fell against him. That voice. She finally got her eyes open. Dr Crane looked down at her with a stern expression and fury in his eyes that made her shudder.

“Move if you can walk,” he said and began dragging her along.

She stumbled but he held her up. He was very oddly dressed, that was the first thing she noticed. For one thing, he seemed to be wearing a brown wig, secondly he had on a moustache than hung rather crookedly. He wore a trench coat and looked all together disturbingly unlike himself.

“Stop! Stop it” she cried. “Where are you taking me? Hey!”

Her own voice was hoarse and pitiful but Dr Crane kept walking and pulling her with him.

“Hush, girl,” he said in a cold tone. “We’re not in friendly territory… Yet.”

Ace stumbled again and, clearly out of patience, Dr Crane scooped her up in his arms again. She wasn’t heavy, even for her age, but the man wasn’t physically very strong and it was clear he could only barely carry her. Ace clamped her mouth shut. She wanted to protest but his manner shocked her into compliance. This way they made it a few streets before he set her down. Ace looked around, confused. They were back at the building they had set up in earlier. Crane grabbed her by the wrist and pulled a whimpering Ace along with him inside.

“Boss?” It immediately was called from the doorway to the main room.

“Nathaniel!” Dr Crane cried out. “I’ve left the vehicle down on Brook Street. Dispose of it directly! Be discreet! We must acquire another mode of transportation!”

“But boss, it’s the middle of the night and all,” Tommy chimed in. “What happened out there?”

Nate had by now spotted Ace as well as his leader’s attire.

“Told you she’d screw us up,” he muttered.

Whether Dr Crane heard that or not was unclear because the moment Tommy had voiced his complaint, the usually redheaded psychologist lost his composure. He flew directly at Tommy as he stepped into the hall and, despite Tommy being the taller and stronger of the two, he backed up against the wall as his irate boss came at him.

“You _dare_ question me!?” Crane cried. “I do not care if takes all night! I do not have the patience for your whining! If you value your hides you’ll have a replacement by daybreak! Away with you!”

Tommy looked stunned. Dr Crane looked most of all like cat squaring up against a large dog, but the fury and sudden energy in him, had Nate flying to the door, faster than Ace had ever seen him move. He fumbled with the locks get it open while Tommy managed to gasp:

“Yes, boss! Sure thing boss! Before… Eh… Morning, boss!”

The two of them stumbled out of the door and Crane slammed it behind them, redoing the locking. Throughout all of this Ace had not moved an inch. It was like he was an entirely different person. It shocked her but not as much as what happened next. Dr Crane leaned against the door for a few moments, catching his breath before he pulled off the moustache and walked towards Ace. She too took a step backwards.

“Fools,” he said in an exasperated air. “But… My dear girl, you look unwell! Come, let me guide you inside. We’ll sit you down in the warmth.”

His voice was so tender and full of concern that Ace starred at him. If he’d turned into a pineapple in front of her, she couldn’t have been more surprised. He took her hand and while he didn’t hurt her, there was enough pulling on his part to make it clear that doing what he said wasn’t entirely optional. Ace was suddenly acutely aware of her surroundings and the fact that she’d never unlock the door faster than he could catch up with her. What was she even thinking? She could melt his brains! Could she? She’d just seen Nate and Tommy, two strong grown men, flee like children from the boogieman. He was dangerous and Ace had no idea how.

She trembled as he led her into the main room. They’d been busy earlier this night for sure. The heater was now up on a table and there were chairs surrounding it. Near the back were two piles of blanket – clearly Nate and Tommy had been sleeping there. There was no third ‘bed’. Instead, another table had been set out with all the chemicals he’d lectured her about earlier. Dr Crane pulled out a chair. Ace slowly sat down, as he helped her pushed it back in. He remained standing behind her, placing his hand on the back of the chair.

“Sir?” Ace said. “I don’t understand…”

A minute ago she was sure she was done for and now he seemed to be fussing over her.

“You’re tired,” he interrupted her and walked along the table. “Warm yourself up. I cannot have you getting sick. Tomorrow I shall have to have a talk with you.”

As he said this he very calmly pulled off the wig and the trench coat. He folded this on the chemistry table. Ace jumped up, the chair nearly toppling over. No, she couldn’t possibly close her eyes near this… this person.

“No!” she cried in outrage. “Stop telling me what to do! I want to know what is going on! Right now!”

Crane slammed his palms into the table.

“Is that so?” he replied, each syllable delivered with pathos.

He seemed strained, hyper alert almost. He twisted his head and looked at her. Fire was in his eyes, seething rage. Her reaction to seeing this must have been obvious to him, because he straightened up, breathed deeply and the walked towards her with his arms out, almost as if he was going to hug her.

“Now, now! Let us not be runaway with by emotion,” he said, tilting his head a little.

“Ace, Ace, _Ace!_ Can you not see that I only endeavour to protect you from your former captors? I comprehend your feelings, I do, but _really_ Ace, can you not explore without putting yourself back in their hands?”

“What do you mean?” Ace asked.

She was standing her ground as he advanced, more out of morbid curiosity than bravery. His face took on a sorrowful expression.

“A few minutes more, my dear, and you would have been questioned, if not arrested by the police. It is very fortunate I extracted you from the situation when I did. What on earth made you decide to meddle with the Mad Hatter?”

“Wait! What do you mean ‘extracted’?” Ace cut him off.

In silence she tried to piece together the events. She’d gone outside. She’d felt strangely caught and started running. The city. The light. The fire and darkness. The cloth.

“You!” she finally accused him. “It was you! You did something to me! What did you do to me?!”

Her voice cracked as she delivered the words. Before she knew it Crane was right in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her.

“Calm yourself! I had to pacify you. Can you not see? I could not allow any witnesses claiming you were a part of it. Now, all they saw was an abduction! The Mad Hatter will get that on his resume, I gather.”

“Y-you… You drugged me!” Ace said, swatting at his hands.

He took that without a hint of annoyance or pain. Instead he brought up one hand, stroked her hair and then gently grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

“Your safety is important to me,” he said. “Forgive me, Ace. I was short with you but I am tired and you worried me. I would never let you come to any harm. I would never let them take you. I am your friend, am not?”

“But…”

“No,” he replied, releasing her chin and lifting his index finger at her. “I understand, Ace, I truly do. I know you might not know a friend when you see him but you will remember that _I_ never put you in a cage. _I_ never forced any devilish device on you. _I_ never enslaved your mind. _Here_ is your liberty, Ace.”

He gave her a slight smile and patted her shoulder reassuringly. The head band. He knew about it. The thing that had kept her a hostage of the government. The thing the Joker had been planning to control her with. Her blood ran cold. It terrified her more than anything. She lunged forwards and wrapped her arms around Dr Crane. In comparison with what she’d gone through he seemed so safe and reliant, regardless of what he’d done. She didn’t see his reaction but he kept his hand on her shoulder.

“There, there,” he said, petting her hair with the other hand. “It’s in the past.”

“You were so angry,” she whispered.

“You risked your life and freedom – and mine,” he replied. “But I’ve not exactly been fortunate with having to rely on Thomas and Nathaniel. In regards to those two buffoons, I rather think they had it coming on their own merit. In time we need not rely on such people, Ace. We’ll be fine, you and I. Just promise me something…”

Ace felt like she wanted to laugh and cry all at once.

“Yes?” she replied, looking up at him.

“Listen to me. Trust me. Don’t you dare ever run off like that again!” he said with a sudden sharpness.

Ace didn’t take any notice off it. All she could think about right now was the headband, the joker and how fortunate she was to be far away from both.

“No, sir! I won’t, I promise!”

Dr Crane smiled.

“Good girl. I forgive you.”

He released her and Ace let go of him in turn, suddenly rather ashamed that she’d hugged him. Dr Crane sat down at the table and rubbed his temples. He looked terribly tired. Ace suddenly felt sorry for him, seeing him like that.

“Can I ask you something?” she said.

“Certainly,” he replied.

“Why did you dress up like that?”

He gave something just short of an amused snort at that comment and gestured for Ace to sit down. She walked over and did so.

“I rather fancy myself a master of disguise. This was, admittedly, rather improvised,” he replied. “It is necessary in a place like this to see that one is only recognized when it is to one’s advantage. I shall teach you these things.”

“Are you famous or something?”

Her question seemed to catch him off guard a little.

“Why do you say that?” he replied.

Ace paused before answering: “Well, would they recognize you for something if you didn’t dress up?”

“I have enemies. People who would harm me like they’ve harmed you. I do not hide from them as a general point but it is best not to draw their attention or they would meddle. I wouldn’t wish to draw negative attention to you.”

“You looked like a dork,” Ace remarked with a slight chuckle.

Dr Crane sent her a disapproving look but he didn’t say anything, so Ace figured he hadn’t taken offense to that. Ace yawned into her hand. How could you be so exhausted when you’d been ‘sleeping’? Truthfully she didn’t know exactly how long she’d been out. Now that she thought about it, if she’d been turned around to see Dr Crane all dressed up as he was while she was mid perception-crushing she’d likely have attacked him before even realizing who he was. He’d have to fend her off with whatever ability he had and he’d have revealed himself. Yes, when she rationalized it to herself it all made perfect sense. It was nicer this way. She wanted him to be good and trustworthy. She wanted everything to be alright for once.

“I’m sorry about the car,” she tried.

“It cannot be helped,” Dr Crane replied. “But they had better provide us with a new one. We’ll have company before long and I need to get supplies and a great deal of work done before I venture to met with anyone.”

“Company?” Ace said, pushing her chair out a bit from the table. “Is it a friend of yours?”

Dr Crane grimaced and Ace wasn’t entirely sure what it meant.

“Occasionally,” he replied dismissively. “And it may be useful if he can manage to arrive only when he is welcome.”

She felt the topic was off limits to a certain degree and left it.

“The Mad Hatter, was that the dude with the top hat?” She asked to talk about something else.

Dr Crane sighed deeply but looked more tired than annoyed. He made a strange fluid gesture with his hand which either seemed to mean ‘of course’ or ‘who cares’, Ace assumed the first. She was keen though on keeping the conversation going a little longer. She needed the company. She was much too vulnerable to be alone with her thoughts.

“What a weird name,” she continued. “Why do they always have that kind of names? I mean, ‘The Mad Hatter’? Because he wears a hat or what? And Joker? He’s not even funny!”

“It’s an expression. Some feel the need to name their other self. There can be various reasons, Ace of Clubs,” Dr Crane replied, either teasingly or with a slight reprimand, she couldn’t be sure.

“I don’t have an other self,” Ace protested, a little forlorn. “The Joker named me that!”

“Had you no other name?” he asked directly.

Ace shook her head.

“I don’t know. I suppose so. That is,” Ace said looking off to the boarded up windows. “I don’t remember. I don’t remember much of anything.”

“Then what were you called before Ace?” Crane’s voice said.

“Seven.”

“Pardon?” he returned.

“0751,” Ace repeated and glanced up at him. “Sometimes they’d say ‘Project Neverland, 0751’ but only about me. Never _to_ me.”

Dr Crane looked surprised.

“Names are strange things,” he mused. “We do not pick all our names ourselves but I try not to let it vex me and neither should you, child.”

“What do they call you then?” Ace asked with a slight smile at his comment.

Dr Crane chuckled.

“Well, the ‘Professor of Fear’ – as I did study phobias at the university.”

“That doesn’t sound very nice of them,” Ace replied even though she’d noticed Dr Crane sounded oddly proud of it as he said it. “You were helping people not to be afraid then? Were you a real professor with classes and stuff?”

“I’d like to think I still am,” Dr Crane nodded. “I was cast out by plebeians who did not understand my value or my genius - nor the potential of my science.”

His voice rose in volume as he said this and he took on a dramatic air.

“That is the tragedy of people like you and I, Ace,” he continued. “We’re cast into a world that does not have the capacity to appreciate us. We’ll get around them. If they will not let us be, we shall make them. ‘The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing’.”

He said that last bit like he was quoting someone but Ace had no idea who that was.

”I just want them to leave me alone,” Ace explained.

”Then let us not concern ourselves with what they call us. When I was a child, I was called a great deal of things because of my… appearance,” he said, frowning.

He slowly got up and walked around to her. It was clear that some particular memories were being replayed in his brain. Ace felt deep sympathy with him. He was an odd-looking person. She’d noticed that of course.

”One thing in particular,” he continued. ”But I adopted it and refer to myself in such a manner now. Make it a strength, Ace. And now, I think it is time you had some sleep. I suggest you retire. You’ve had quite enough excitement for a night.”

Ace didn’t object but nodded, rose and dragged herself to the doorway. She was too tired to even think straight and somehow felt she’d had all her questions answered and all her worries swept aside. She had taken the first two steps up the stairs when she stopped and called out:

”Dr Crane?”

”Yes, dear girl?” he replied from the other room.

”What did they call you?” she inquired.

There was silence for a moment.

”Scarecrow.”


	6. Loyalty Among Thieves

Jonathan Crane had paced up and down the floor the following morning, occasionally doing frustrated, ballet-like turns. He had had only a few hours of sleep. Not only had he just moved across country, had to rescue his prize possession from handing herself over to the authorities but he’d had to spend an additional hour giving the brat a pep talk. It was exhausting work. Of course if there was anyone who could do it, it was him. He’d had to take a gamble and reveal rather a lot more of his identity to Ace than he had cared to, in order to keep her from getting upset and ensure she felt included. But she’d attacked Tetch.

“Of all the notions…” he muttered to himself.

He hadn’t entirely foreseen the amount of trouble this would bring. Jervis Tetch knew he was bound to be up to something and he’d have to either let the man in on it in a controlled manner or have him as an adversary. Not that he was afraid of him, oh no, but he was in a precarious position and didn’t need the hassle.

Jonathan had waited up patiently in the dark. Just to make sure. Still, he had been disappointed to she her come down. Crane had hoped she’d just been wanting to take a walk but there was no such luck. He’d barely had the time to grab his disguise and ‘emergency’ kit before she had taken off running. He had frantically driven in the same direction. It had not been possible to simply follow her casually at a distance.

He could have gotten away with it all, had she not attacked the Mad Hatter. Jonathan couldn’t tell how much Tetch knew of what was happening – but he couldn’t take the chance of letting Batman get him and send the man back to Arkham Asylum with knowledge of Scarecrow’s activities. There weren’t that many girls like Ace around after all. Of course it was a little amusing to imagine the look on their faces – when they realized the power he now held. Crane kept to his own group when inside. He wasn’t strong enough to dare cross the patients with more… Unnatural features and strengths. Still he was respected, as someone with brains always should be. There were just one or two people who had commented more than once that he was ‘nothing without the gas’. They’d swallow their words soon enough.

The doctors too would soon find themselves in awe of him. Once the girl was completely his to control he would begin one of his most ambitious research projects yet! His mood lightened a little as he thought of his plan. It was hard to be patient with such glory within his grasp. Ace was easily influenced and it was not difficult to exploit her tragedies but they also made her unpredictable at times. He could not misstep even if he _had_ wanted nothing more than to slap her around last night.

She was upstairs still – sleeping in, he gathered. Tommy and Nate had returned with a rather dented black car which served the purpose nicely even if they had managed to break one of the locks permanently. The next couple of days they would have to lay low. A few stolen purses, a bit of breaking and entering perhaps. That was what those buffoons were there for. He’d turn his attention to the cellar passage and shining up this place a little as well as acquiring more weapons. Then and only then would he respond to his ‘friend’s’ request.

It wasn’t until two days later that Tommy finally had broken down the barrier in the cellar. Now this was cause for cheer! Oh, it was magnificent! He could tell by old tape in various parts of the factory that sections had been off limits due to health reasons. They had perhaps good reason not to meddle with Crane’s experiments. He knew exactly what had taken place where and had no fear – ha! This meant that only part of the factory had been reused and the remaining bit had been preserved beautifully! What’s more he suspected no one had entered the door leading to his old… Overnight facilities. It was a short cellar hallway with four rooms, in which he’d kept one or two drifters, ill performing employees and the like for research purposes. From here he retrieved a couple of old metal hospital bedframes, a small cupboard with white pain flaking off it and a desk. Of course he carried none of this to their hideout himself, but he gifted the cupboard and a bedframe to Ace and this did make her room homelier. He installed a second one and the desk in one of the ground floor rooms, taking that into possession for himself. Mattresses, bedding and a fridge was more difficult to acquire but it was decided fairly quickly that the suburban families of Gotham wouldn’t miss it. Every day Jonathan Crane went back and forth between the factory and the office building, sorting through the surviving supplies and looking for any chemical that might not have been removed. What he retrieved he usually made Ace help him sort and set up in the cellar as she needed to be kept busy. Then came the news that a certain someone was asking for him around the shadier parts of town. Dr Crane had expected it but nevertheless he wasn’t thrilled. He’d have to arrange a meeting with the Mad Hatter.

When the car returned with the men and their guest, Jonathan was coming up from the cellar. He’d sent Ace upstairs with a map of Gotham and a book on chemistry that was really much too hard for her and instructed her to study both for the next hour or so. Hopefully this would keep her there. Nate and Tommy were quickly rushing a person from the car into the hallway. A man in a blue coat with a sack over his head and holding a hat in his hand. He’d come willingly of course but on Crane’s terms.

“Good afternoon, Tetch,” said Jonathan Crane from the doorway.

“That’s a rather cold welcome!” Jervis exclaimed once he was finally able to remove the strange blindfold and return the hat to his head.

Dr Crane nodded.

“I’m not one to take any chances, old friend,” he replied warmly.

He enjoyed Tetch’s company in the asylum but he knew better than most that with all the Arkham inmates, they’d take a hand if you gave them a finger and you never trusted anyone.

“Why don’t you come in and take a seat?”

Jonathan gestured to the doorway leading to the main room.

“Leave your cards.”

Jervis frowned and pulled several hat cards from his coat pocket, placing them in a neat stack on a cupboard containing fuses. He paused, then picked one of the mind control cards back up and put it in his pocket. Jonathan didn’t say a word. A little insurance was acceptable. The two men ventured into the now much more presentable main room. The Mad Hatter looked around sceptically as he took a seat at the table – no doubt he was trying to figure out where he was. The boarded up windows were proving themselves handy. Dr Crane slowly sat down across from him.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”

“Oh, professor,” replied Jervis. “You know perfectly well. You’re up to something. I figure you can share with an old friend.”

Jonathan didn’t hide his annoyance. He rose from the table and paced a little. The Mad Hatter remained where he was.

“I saved your hide! If I had not come to your aid you’d be back in Arkham as cocooned as a caterpillar! The authorities were hot on your heels! Twas only a matter of time before _batman_ had made his presence known.”

The Mad Hatter carefully ran a finger along the brim of his hat and tsk’d.

“That’s hardly how I recall it. The way I see it, I was just about to escape when…”

“When what?” cried Dr Crane.

“I don’t know!” shrieked the Mad Hatter. “Something! And then I remember seeing you there!”

“You’re losing your mind, Tetch,” replied Jonathan Crane derisively.

He crossed his arms and enjoyed the frantic outburst of his guest. He couldn’t be sure how much damage Ace had managed to do – but if the Joker was anything to go by it might be more or less temporary with the proper psychiatric help.

“Is that your professional opinion?” the Mad Hatter responded. “I’ll tell you a secret: All the best people are.”

“Cease your nonsense!” Crane declared.

“You interfered with my activities! I _needed_ that money! I’m inclined to think you owe me what I lost, professor Crane!” 

“How delightful!” Jonathan exclaimed. “You’ve progressed from abduction to crime for the sake of personal monetary gain. How very _impressive!_ ”

The sound of someone stomping down the stairs caused them both to pause. Before Jonathan could react, Ace flew in through the door, wearing some ungodly combination of a frilly black dress and a bright orange jacket.

“Dr Crane! Can I please have some money to go to…”

She slammed the breaks and almost slipped on the floor when she spotted Jervis Tetch sitting there. _Blast!_ Jervis’ jaw dropped as he saw her. Crane could easily imagine what they were both thinking. He had to take control of this mess. He couldn’t possibly continue the conversation with her here.

“Come here, child, and repeat yourself. You should not be running around like a hooligan,” he commanded.

Ace didn’t move and neither did Jervis Tetch. Jonathan had to clear his throat to get her going. Once she did, she moved over to him without taking her eyes of the visitor, bumped against the table and made an overall inelegant spectacle.

“ _You…_ ” The Mad Hatter whispered before he continued at normal volume: “The girl in the street!”

Jonathan immediately moved closer to Ace. It seemed to relax her but his only aim was to display firmly to Jervis, who owned her and who’s protection she was under.

“Ah, _yes!_ Mr Tetch, I don’t believe you’ve been properly introduced to my… _niece_.”

He flashed Tetch a smile and looked down at Ace to finally find her starring back up at him. Poor little Ace. So starved for any affection and recognition. He pulled a wallet from a pocket in the lining of his jacket. He barely had anything to his name at the moment as their supplies cost a great deal more than they could realistically continue to provide through petty crime. He certainly wasn’t keen on sending Ace out on her own at all – not after the stunt she pulled a few days ago but he couldn’t keep her here. Not with the Mad Hatter. It was too dangerous right now.

“How much do you need?”

“Not a lot,” Ace stammered, casting nervous glances at Tetch. “Just wanted to get a magazine or something. I’m bored. I just thought if you think I can go to the stores I could take the bus.”

“Marvellous! A little exercise is quite beneficial,” he replied, carefully handing her change.

There was no way he’d have let hear out alone without following her any other time but he couldn’t make it known to Tetch that he had reason to keep her inside or hidden. He couldn’t know she was important. He made very sure to only give her as little as was needed. He wasn’t pleased she’d opt for this over the chemistry book but he could hardly express that right this moment.

“Be back directly. Nathaniel may direct you there if you like. I have a few things I might need to discuss with you upon your return,” he instructed her.

He tilted his head ever so slightly in the Mad Hatter’s direction to indicate what he truly meant.

_‘Come now, Ace! You’re bright enough to understand as much! The last thing I need is you causing a scene!’_

Ace gave no indication that she understood but hurried out of the door without another word to either of them. Dr Crane frowned.

“Do behave yourself!” he called after her but had no reply.

The urge to go get her back was gnawing at him. Jervis came back to life. He narrowed his eyes and looked from the doorway and back to Crane.

“It’s her!” Jervis replied the moment they heard the door close.

Jonathan sat down slowly. He decided to humour this pseudo-fictional character.

“Who?”

“The girl! I saw her in the street! Standing there! Menacingly! Y-you took her - I saw you!”

“Yes, well,” replied Dr Crane. “I wasn’t keen on letting my niece get trampled by your mindless minions!”

“She ruined my robbery!” Jervis protested.

“By looking at you?”

Jonathan laughed derisively.

“I… I don’t know! But you owe me!”

“I haven’t the slightest intention of partaking in your mediocre schemes!” cried Crane. “What is it this time? Do you need a new hat or is there another woman?!”

“If everybody minded their own business, the world would go around a great deal faster than it does,” muttered the Mad Hatter.

”For once I’m inclined to agree,” Jonathan Crane replied and threw his hands in the air in exasperation.

“You didn’t ask me to help you out of Arkham just for you to babysit your relations! I’m not an idiot, professor! You’re up to something big and I want back what I lost.”

Jonathan groaned. The man was a brilliant mind when it game to tech but the man _was_ an idiot. He should know by now there was no real money in what the Scarecrow did – it was all for science, and when it wasn’t, it was to raise money for science. Still he had to keep him occupied. If not he’d have him ratting him out to the bat before long. Unless…

“Very well, old friend,” he replied.

His tone was gentle and the switch seemed to alert Jervis. Dr Crane rose slowly from the table and walked casually around to where his guest was sitting causing him to jump up. Jonathan saw him reach for his pocket and in a flash he had the Mad Hatter by the wrist, forcing him up against the wall. Neither man was really especially fit but Jonathan didn’t need to be. He pulled a small opaque bottle out of his pocket and held it up in front of Tetch’s face. He could feel the tremble through the other mans arm.

“Now that I have your undivided attention,” Jonathan purred. “Let me make this perfectly clear to you: You’ll take your orders from _me!_ Close your mouth, Tetch. I’m not interested in your opinion. You’ll take the money and I…”

“Partners! 50/50!” cried Jervis.

“You’ll take what you’re owed that’s the end of it! I will contact you and you will not attempt to track down me or my associates!”

The bottle drew nearer his face.

“Crane, calm down! For goodness sake! Put that away!” The Mad Hatter pleaded. “We can discuss this calmly! Whatever you say!”

Satisfied, Dr Crane released him. The commotion had alerted Nate and Tommy who had both appeared at the doorway, but Jonathan gestured to them that their assistance was not yet needed.

“We go our separate ways then. Neither I, nor my men – nor my niece will interfere with your plans. You’ll have my silence. I demand yours.”

Jervis Tetch rubbed his wrist and seemed almost sulky that he’d been overpowered so easily.

“She’s a brave child, you know,” he finally said, as Dr Crane popped the little bottle back in his pocket. “I remember her walking straight at me. No fear at all. Guess she takes after you a bit, eh? But she’s of course a great deal prettier! Even if she dresses like a crow with it’s head stuck in a pumpkin!”

Whether that was meant to lighten the mood or just put down Crane’s appearance, it did not have a positive effect on Jonathan. He was suddenly filled with tremendous disgust!

“I see nothing wrong with crows,” he sneered. “Thomas! Get the bag. _Mr_ Tetch is leaving!”

It was perhaps an irrational reaction but he truly didn’t like hearing Jervis Tetch of all people speak about Ace like that. Calling her ‘pretty’. Dr Crane knew perfectly well the man’s story. He had never respected the notion of turning to crime for a woman, but the entitlement and fixation he’d displayed with that girl had never bothered him before now. So he made an effort not to acknowledge the man was a PhD.

“You never could take a joke,” Jervis complained, removing his hat.

“I’ll contact you when I need you. Don’t do anything foolish,” Jonathan warned him before Tommy pulled a sack over the Mad Hatter’s head and guided him out to the car.

“Return his cards, Nathaniel!” Crane called out to the men.

He could hear Jervis’ muffled voice exclaim that Dr Crane had to remember his manners and something about a ‘bandersnatch’. As long as Jervis didn’t take matters into his own hands they’d be fine. If he was as bad a planner as he was a chess player, he could do serious damage. Dr Crane placed the little opaque bottle on the table. It was empty of course, but Jervis didn’t need to know that.


	7. Redbreast

This was it. Any moment now. Ace took a deep breath. The confusion swirled in her guts and her survival instincts had set in. It was difficult for her to not think the worst. The man from the explosion. He’d been sitting there so casually. Like he and Dr Crane were just having tea or something. How? At first she’d thought he’d tracked her down to hurt her – but if he had why would Dr Crane act so normal around him? He’d been there! The events of the explosion had replayed in her mind over and over until she recalled two voices in the darkness. He’d been with them in the car. When she’d been almost knocked out by whatever Dr Crane had subdued her with she’d heard them arguing. She was nauseous. Ace had actually only intended to ask Dr Crane for help with a passage in the book he’d lent her but the minute she’d seen them together and pieced together Dr Crane’s odd behaviour she could not get out of the house fast enough. One thing was for sure: There was so much more to Jonathan Crane than she knew.

It was some sort of farmer’s market. Nowhere near as large as she’d seen in the vest. Her pulse quickened. She raised the hood of her orange jacket to obscure her face. Ace picked up her pace and as she neared the stands, she reached out, grabbed a jar and quickly turned into and alleyway. She was expecting shouts and dared not look back to see someone chase her but nothing happened. She stopped a little way down into the alley, meaning to inspect her prize.

“You shouldn’t do that,” a voice said.

Ace was startled. She spun around, holding the loot behind her back. On top of a wall separating the alley from a yard, sat a curious-looking boy. He wore a mask and had brightly coloured clothes in red, green and black. The voice wasn’t unkind but even so Ace took a step backwards.

“What’s it to you?” she demanded.

“Nothing I guess,” the boy said and jumped gracefully down from the wall.

He was quite a bit taller than her but she couldn’t tell how old he was – anywhere from late teens to a bit over 20.

“But, you know, it’s illegal and all that,” he grinned. “I’m supposed to stop you.”

“Well, _are_ you?” Ace said, her eyes shifting to the street and her possible escape route.

The boy shrugged.

“What’s your name?” he said.

“It’s none of your business!” Ace cried. “Look I’ll leave it, just leave me alone, okay?”

The boy laughed and raised his hands in a mock defence.

“Alright, alright!” he chuckled. “I’m not trying to fight here. Just wondering why it’s worth it stealing pickles, is all.”

Slowly Ace took the jar out from behind her back and glanced at it. Sure enough, it was a jar of pickles. She didn’t even know if she liked those.

“Hey?”

His voice was much closer and Ace instinctively held the jar tightly against her chest.

“I mean it,” the boy said. “I don’t want to fight. I’m just curious, that’s all.”

“Why are you dressed like that?” Ace returned, glaring at his chest which was all she could see from beneath the hood. “You look like a dork.”

She wasn’t really meaning to be cruel, but he was in her way. Her body didn’t know whether to cry, punch a wall or curl up and scream.

_‘Betrayed. Betrayed. Betrayed.’_

The word rang out in her mind again and again. She’d manage on her own. She hoped so at least. Ace was to ready to think the worst – but what else could she think when she’d seen what she’d seen? A pain stabbed her in the rift reminding her of the uncomfortable truth that she’d allowed herself to hope thing would be different around Dr Crane. That she could trust him.

“And you look like a pumpkin!” replied the boy, clearly a little offended. “I have to wear it. I’m a hero!”

Ace snorted.

“What? Like Batman?” she replied.

“Yeah,” nodded the boy and say down on a large waste-bin. “I’m the magnificent Robin. What’s your name?”

She stood still a little. Despite his annoying face, she felt better when he was talking. It distracted her from her own thoughts.

“I guess I’m Pumpkin-face or something,” she replied.

The boy laughed. Ace smiled a little at her own joke.

“Where do you live?” he asked.

“Around,” she responded.

“Are you on the streets? Do you need help?”

Ace rather roughly shoved the pickle jar at him and joined him on the bin. 

“No,” she replied.

The last thing she needed was some busybody wannabe superhero meddling.

“Where are you parents then?”

“God!” she hissed. “Don’t you ever shut up?”

That was a sore spot and she didn’t want to discuss it.

“I live somewhere alright? With some people! Just leave it alone! I don’t have parents!”

The boy shrugged.

“I don’t either,” he said. “I just have a guardian. That’s okay. It’s not something to get defensive over. Just wondered if you needed money and stuff, is all.”

Ace almost looked up at him but remembered last minute to conceal her face. She’d never met anyone sharing that sort of stuff so freely. It was strange. Ace was deeply ashamed of what happened to her parents after all.

“Sorry,” she said. “I guess it’s something like that for me too but I don’t want your hand outs. So either rat me out or don’t. Whatever you want.”

“Want to go get ice cream or something? I mean, pickles aren’t that bad but it’s not good either.”

“Sure,” Ace replied.

She figured she had nothing to lose. She had nowhere to go and the longer she put off having to think about that, the better. They both jumped off the waste-bin. Robin returned the pickles and Ace placed the jar in her pocket before they began walking. They were silent a little while before Robin mentioned a particular place and upon finding out she had no idea what he was talking about, he started telling her about all the different neighbourhoods. She did notice that he didn’t ask her where she’d come from even though he knew she was from out of town.

Ace tried her best to melt into the crowd but as uncomfortable as it was walking next to the boy, people didn’t look that much at him, several smiled at him. He might not be a strange sight to them. It made her relax a bit but she still didn’t like being noticeable. They turned into a small street and ventured into a café. Robin ordered two cups of ice-cream for them as Ace was stumped choosing a flavour. They sat down in the corner and Ace’s eyes grew wide when she put the first spoonful of orange sorbet into her mouth. What followed was a very uncomfortable conversation about how weird it was that Ace had never eaten ice-cream before in her life.

“Why do you hide your face?” Robin had said at some point. “It’s just a bit odd talking to your jacket.”

“Why do you wear a mask?” Ace retorted.

“I have to,” Robin said with pride. “I was serious about the hero thing. I work with Batman – Well, I really do my own thing but you know, it’s more fun to patrol in pairs.”

He blushed ever so slightly but Ace didn’t care whose sidekick he was.

“Batman?” she said, she remembered him only too well. “He lives in Gotham then?”

“Well, yeah,” Robin replied, puzzled.

Ace was conflicted. Batman had been kind to her. Just like this bird-boy had. But he was still authority. A part of her wanted to speak with him but she dared not risk it.

“I can’t pay for this,” she changed to topic, pointing to her almost empty cup.

“That’s okay, it’s my treat. I get a good allowance, I…”

Robin blushed again. It was very clear he wished to avoid anything that made him sound like a child, when he wasn’t.

“What? Does Batman give you one?” she mumbled into the rest of her dessert.

The silence told her she’d been accidentally right.

“I don’t judge,” she hastily added.

That was so weird to think about. Living with Batman? Was Batman his guardian then? She wondered what it was like to see Batman out of costume. Wasn’t it also just strange to live with someone who dressed up like that to go to work?

“It doesn’t matter,” Robin said. “He’s cool. Mostly. A bit uptight but you know… How’s your guardian? Don’t you get an allowance then or were you just really into pickles?”

“No, I… It’s just he was meeting with someone I don’t like and… I guess I just want to go far away, you know?”

“Ah, new girlfriend? Yeah, mine sees this lady sometimes, actually he sees a lot of them, but this one, man, she’s just so… She makes my skin crawl. The way she talks, you know?”

Ace didn’t know but she wasn’t going to correct him.

“Have you got a place to stay?” he asked. “Not that you should stay out, I mean, but…”

“Yeah,” she replied, not willing to be the object of his pity.

“Look I have to be on patrol with Batman tonight but tomorrow I’m flying solo. Do you want to come along? You can be my sidekick, the fearsome Pumpkin-face!” he grinned and scraped the last out of his ice-cream cup.

Ace chuckled: “Yeah, sure! It does have a ring to it: Bird-Boy and Pumpkin-face!”

“Hey,” Robin laughed but he didn’t take any offence to it. “It’ll be great. I’ll show you my motorcycle!”

Even if it wasn’t so, it felt a bit nice. Like having a friend. He didn’t know who she was and she didn’t know him. That was fine to Ace because at least it felt equal. They said their goodbyes at the shop after Robin had made her promise she’d go ‘home’ tonight. She’d said yes just so he wouldn’t press the issue. Of course she didn’t return. She hung out in the streets, looking around. She bought a chocolate bar with some of the money Dr Crane had given her and come evening she ate the chocolate and the pickles – which was not a pleasant combination, but she’d had worse. Finally, she crept into a paper bin in a courtyard.

Ace suddenly found that all might be well in the daylight or when she’d had company but now she was alone and cold, lying on cardboard, the thoughts came back to her. Over and over she whispered reassurances to herself and reminded herself that she could go back. But the hat guy was there no doubt. And she’d probably not know the way. And… Dr Crane would be furious. But it was so cold here. No! She’d managed before! She’d manage again. Yes, she’d been starving when he’d found her. Well, that was just a spot of bad luck.

On and on it went and Ace barely slept at all. She woke up early, in the cold hours before dawn and rubbed her arms and legs for warmth until the sun rose. It took hours for her to get the stiffness out of her limbs. She wandered around town, careful not to ever linger one place too long, and debated with herself whether she should use what was left of the money on food. A little luck did follow her. Near a fountain in a park she found a black scarf – probably a lady’s. It wasn’t the kind that was warm. She placed it in her pocket for later use. She found a place in an alley behind a pizzeria and sat there near a vent which warmed her nicely. Come afternoon, the owner spotted her when taking out the rubbish and to Ace’s surprise offered her a slice of pizza but did also tell her not to ‘make it regular thing’.

Come dusk, she waited on the street outside the ice-cream shop as the minutes ticked by and Gotham descended into darkness. She lowered her hood and wrapped the scarf around her head, covering her face from the eyes and down, then pulled the hood back up again. Not a moment too soon for in the distance she heard a strange sound. It was a motorcycle but it didn’t sound like any other motorcycle Ace had heard. Seconds later a large black beast of a machine was parked on the street in front of her. The costumed boy sat on it with the grin of a toddler showing off his newest toy. Cautiously she stepped towards him. He eyed her up and down.

“Did you really go back last night? You’re wearing the same outfit,” he pointed out.

“Yeah,” Ace rolled her eyes at him. “It’s my Pumpkin-face costume, isn’t it?”

Robin laughed.

“Alright, look I’m not actually supposed to take people along so if I get called over the radio, just keep quiet okay? We’ll just drive around and keep watch!”

“On that thing?” Ace replied.

She wasn’t exactly keen on getting on that. Robin didn’t strike her at all like someone who had any idea what he was doing. Robin didn’t answer her. He pressed some buttons on a display and something folded out on the side. It was a sidecar. That was apparently supposed to reassure her. Ace didn’t think it did but it was preferable to having to hold on to him.

“Come on,” Robin said and Ace carefully crawled into the sidecar which was surprisingly study.

Hardly had she sat down before they flew forwards at a terrifying speed. Ace clung to the sides but little by little she realized Robin was expertly navigating between cars and around corners. After a little while it didn’t even seem as scary to watch the town fly by. Robin lowered the speed a bit and began on what she assumed was his intended course.

“What is it you’re supposed to watch for?” Ace yelled to him over the noise of the wind whirling past.

“Anything suspicious,” Robin replied. “There was an escape from Arkham yesterday. Oh! You know about Arkham, right?”

“I’ve heard the name,” Ace replied. “But I’m not entirely sure what it is.”

“It’s Arkham Asylum,” Robin explained, keeping his eyes on the road. “They treat a lot of people there. But it’s also where they send the criminally insane. The worst of the worst. Like the Joker – you’ve heard of him, right?”

“Yeah, I have,” Ace muttered.

“Well, yesterday this Lady called Poison Ivy got out. And there was an escape almost two weeks ago – which means there’s now three of these people out on the street. They’re really dangerous. I have to watch for anything out of the ordinary – something that lets us know what they’re doing.”

They made their way onto a busy road and headed for a bridge. Just as they got on the bridge, Robin swerved off the road and into a small space next to one of the pillars of the bridge. He turned off the engine and pulled out what looked like miniature binoculars. Ace tried to settle her stomach. She couldn’t deny there was a small smile underneath the scarf. It was awfully fun. Like flying.

“What are you doing?” she asked once she’d caught her breath.

“There is a good view of parts of the harbour here. I’m going to watch it for a bit.”

“Sounds boring,” she replied, disappointed that they would not just be driving all night.

Robin fiddled with the settings on the binoculars and replied: “Hey, it’s a good thing you’re here to keep me entertained then.”

“Tell me more about that poison lady,” Ace urged him.

“Oh I don’t think we’ll see her tonight. She just got out. Usually the smarter ones lay low a bit before they get up to stuff. But there’s other people out there. The Mad Hatter did a bank a few days ago but other than that it’s really been way too quiet.”

Ace accidentally bit her tongue when she heard that name. Mad Hatter? That was what Dr Crane had called the man with the hat. A bank? A shiver went down her spine. She’d been there that night.

“Want one?”

Robin’s voice snapped her back to reality. He held a small bag of peppermint sweets. Ace took one and carefully sucked on it, her tongue still sore. It wasn’t much fun when Robin had to concentrate but almost an hour later she’d learned enough about Poison Ivy that she felt she knew her. He’d let her try the binoculars too. Finally, Ace complained about the cold which was considerable atop the bridge. Robin agreed there probably wasn’t anything to see at the harbour and they drove on, towards his next stop. She was beginning to enjoy herself again, flying through the streets, that fun feeling in her stomach as they made sharp turns, when suddenly there was a noise coming from the display of the motorcycle.

“Robin!” a voice called.

“Shit!” Robin hissed, and glanced at Ace.

She nodded, remembering to keep quiet.

“What’s that, Robin?” the voiced demanded, rather sternly.

“Nothing!” Robin replied.

Where had she heard that voice before?

“Good,” the voice replied. “The Danvers’ Studio. Now. Come in quietly from east.”

“Who is it?” Robin asked, his voice serious.

“I don’t know yet,” the voice responded. “Be prepared for anything. I’m on the south side, going inside in a minute.”

“On my way,” Robin replied and there sounded a click-like sound which Ace assumed meant the conversation was over.

“What was that?” she asked and Robin stopped the motorcycle.

“You need to get off,” Robin said. “I’m sorry but I have to work. That was Batman, just now.”

“Wait!” Ace cried. “You can’t just leave me here! I don’t know this area! I’ll get lost! Can’t I just stay by the bike or something? I won’t be in the way!”

Robin shook his head.

“I can’t do that. It might be really dangerous.”

“I thought I was your sidekick,” Ace replied.

Not that she cared to be his underling in anything but she really didn’t want to just be left wherever in the middle of the night. This place didn’t look like it had many open containers to curl up in. She frowned, which Robin couldn’t see of course, but her disapproval showed in her eyes.

“Look…” Robin began but paused. “Fine, but you stay in the sidecar, you hear me? You don’t go anywhere near the building. Batman would kill me if he knew I brought you. I’ll drive you home afterwards then.”

“If you don’t get knocked out,” Ace pointed out.

Robin looked rather annoyed by that but he got back on the road.

“I’m not going to get knocked out. I’m Robin,” he replied, but he didn’t sound entirely convinced himself.

He changed the display and it shoved a map which he seemed to be following to a marked destination. Ace watched it carefully as they got closer. The mood had changed. Robin was silent as the grave. The scarf smelled faintly like another person’s perfume and that had a weird calming affect on Ace, it was something so small yet normal about it. Now the dot was only a few blocks away and Robin touched the display again and took the speed down. The engine went almost silent. They were still moving but this was clearly sneaking. That did unnerve her. She thought about everything she’d just heard about the poison woman. She thought about The Mad Hatter and everything she’d seen in his eyes. Robin pulled over in an alley on a street leading down to the building. Ace could see it. A tall old building. It looked like a theatre. He parked the motorcycle and shut off the engine.

“Remember,” he whispered. “Don’t move. Stay safe.”

Ace was about the respond when suddenly Robin disappeared up a wall and onto the roof. The abruptness was doing nothing for Ace’s feeling of impending doom. There was just darkness around her. She’d have imagined to hear some sort of epic fight or seen the fire of an explosion upon arrival but there was nothing but silence. The seconds ticked by and every other minute Ace felt she saw something move out the corner of her eyes. It was either her imagination or rats, she told herself over and over, but it wasn’t easy convincing herself when she didn’t know what the danger was.

Then a loud shrill scream rang out over the rooftops. Ace cried out herself but quickly covered her mouth. The scream was followed by continuous cries, screams and distant yelling. She could not make out the words but tried to determine whether that was Robin’s voice. It sounded more like a woman but that did not nothing to lessen her fears. She jumped out of the sidecar.

“Robin?” she cried out, not too loudly.

There was no response but distant loud bangs could be heard. That person was still hysterically screaming. On shaky legs she made her way to the end of the alleyway to see the building better. She could help. Robin didn’t know that. She had actual powers and he didn’t seem to. A bright orange light shone from the upper floors of the building. Fire. In the next moment someone flew out of one of the windows and landed on the street below, groaning and crying out. Ace turned and ran back towards the sidecar but it was not her destination. She jumped onto a back staircase and thundered up the metal steps to reach the roof. Her clothes were ribbed upon contact with several parts of the old metal frame but she didn’t care. She had to get to Robin and help. She had to make sure it didn’t go badly. He was the only other connection she had in town. She didn’t dare think they were friends, but she couldn’t just stand by and let nice people die. She couldn’t let it be her fault. She had to climb the rest of the way up onto the roof.

“Robin!” she cried but he wasn’t there.

She ran across the roof tops towards the theatre-looking building. Perhaps that was her destiny. That was what people like Batman did, right? They ran towards fires and it wasn’t her first time. A large gap between roofs prevented her from advancing. She looked around frantically. Perhaps he wasn’t even on the roofs anymore. She’d have to take a detour. She searched for a way to get down and found a similar fire-escape staircase. Her footsteps echoed loudly as she ran down them, nearly slipping multiple times as she did so. She jumped the last meter down into a narrow passage between two buildings. On impact she stumbled, twisting her foot and hissed. Ace held onto the wall to support herself and look in the direction where she could see light steadily building as the fire grew. Several cries had joined the initial ones. She staggered towards it. But then she heard a sound behind her. Ace spun around and starred into the darkness.

“Robin, is that you?” she said, quieter this time.

There was no response but the sound of footsteps coming towards her and then some sort of _thing_ could be glimpsed in the shadows. Ace stumbled backwards, landing on her behind. It was tall, lanky and had no discernable face at first glance. The scarf had fallen down from her face and did not muffle her shallow breathing. The light flashed brightly behind her and a loud hiss was heard but in that instant the creature was completely illuminated – just briefly. Ace cried out. It was a man but… Not a man. He wore tattered strange clothes and a mask made from a sack-like cloth. On his head was a hat and in his hand something metallic shone. He carried a bag over his shoulder and in his excuse for a face Ace saw nothing but horrifying malice.

“Get away from me!” she screamed as loud as she could.

“Shhhh!” the creature shushed her and brought its gloved finger to its non-existent lips. 

It swooped down on her and scooped her up, while Ace screamed bloody murder and glared glowing-destruction at it. She couldn’t tell if she was looking at it’s eyes. She’d briefly felt a mind there but hadn’t gotten hold of it. She kicked and struggled once it had her. Something stung her in the neck and a pain spread from there quickly.

“Close your eyes,” he commanded with a familiar voice.

Ace’s mouth shut and she stared at this creature with nothing but terror and surprise as the Scarecrow disappeared into the void of the night carrying her cold, stunned body.


	8. Fear The Reaper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair Warning: Scarecrow is an absolute bran muffin in this. I'd call him a monster but he'd kill me.

It is one thing to be in and out of consciousness – Ace had experienced that many times before and perhaps that was why she’d not objected more to Dr Crane’s rather rough treatment. Where she came from she’d been nothing to them but a toy to do with as they pleased. Mistreatment was her normal even if she recognized it was wrong and wasn’t willingly accepting it as her lot. This was something else. Dr Crane knew more about true terror than she ever would and He’d surely laugh if he knew what she thought. Laugh, if he wasn’t going to kill her. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t speak. There was a weight on her chest and she breathed like her throat was inflamed. She could feel everything. His fingers digging into her. The air of the night. The coarse fabric that made him look like a monster. It was him alright. She’d know that voice anywhere.

The word _‘betrayed’_ rung out inside her head again. Ace wanted to screamed in frustration, claw his eyes out or, better still, tear his sanity to shreds if he had one! She also wanted to cry, curl up into a ball and beg someone – anyone, to tell her this wasn’t real. Why was no one ever real in this world? Everyone was playing pretend. Everyone. They all had many names, many lives, many promises. They wore masks and said things they didn’t mean. No one could be trusted.

Ace gave the only name she’d ever really had. Ace couldn’t be anything but what she was – and she’d tried so many times to stop being what she was so she’d know! She could feel him tremble with anger. She could feel his claws in her. She didn’t know that as furious as the professor was the last thing he could ever do was tear her bodily apart. He was carrying something precious to him. Something unique, something powerful, something _intolerably disobedient_.

“Move that crate!” hissed the undefined features of the sack.

Ace was passed to different hands and roughly shoved into the back of a van. They were moving. Lights from the city shone through a little window in the back door and through the front window. It danced across the roof of the van and across crates stacked anything but safely. No one seemed to care whether the fell on top of Ace. It was worse lying there waiting. The van made sharp turns and Ace rolled against various things as a man seated in the darkness near her groaned and tried to hold on. She could hear Dr Crane’s voice barking directions at the driver. The man in the back didn’t try to help her. Ace wasn’t even sure she’d want him near her. His voice was that of a stranger. Anther sharp turn and Ace’s hand flew up, bracing her.

_‘Okay, okay! Keep calm! It’s wearing off! Breathe. You’ve got this!’_

Her joints hurt increasingly as she regained control of them. It came back to her arms first. Her legs were only barely functioning by the time they’d adopted a steady manner of driving. It was fortunate up until then that the unknown man in the back with her had been too busy keeping himself upright to worry about what she was doing. What would she do know? Ace knew perfectly well jumping out of a moving vehicle wasn’t exactly the best idea – especially when she couldn’t chance a hospital visit. So she decided to stay put until she’d have the opportunity to do something. The van slowed down. The were arriving somewhere. Ace lay perfectly still. In the front Dr Crane snapped at the man at his side:

‘Steady, Thomas! Mind the ca… _What_ did I just say?!”

They crossed a bump at too high speed and turned through the gates into the factory hall. Hopefully they hadn’t been followed but Scarecrow couldn’t be certain. He flung the car door open and jumped elegantly onto the concrete below.

“Jack! Get up! You two! Unload! We haven’t a moment to lose!” he cried, pointing alternately in every direction the people were located.

He grabbed one of the new guys by the coat as he rushed past, causing the big oaf to stumble.

“You,” he continued, not recalling the man’s name and he went on giving the man directions. He’d take the van and find someone looking for the seedy kind of work. That person would be paid to take the car somewhere. Anywhere really. The Scarecrow congratulated himself on his clearly superior intelligence and ability to adapt or these men couldn’t have pulled off anything. Batman could find the van if he liked. He’d find a driver who knew nothing of where it had been or why it was going anywhere. Of course he had planned it all. He knew the ‘opposition’ would be there. What he _hadn’t_ counted on, on the other hand… Brought into his hands by the bat’s tagalong himself! The professor became more and more irate the longer he thought about the implications of this. Stupendous luck and horrid misfortune were two sides of the same coin, it appeared.

The men carried the crates out as quickly as they dared. It was funny to the Scarecrow. They knew exactly what sort of things he was likely to transport. Only Tommy and Jack knew. Oh, what he’d give to see their faces when they saw! He had something to collect himself. He walked to the door opening of the van and took a long parcel from Jack.

“Eh, boss! The kid?” The man said.

“Hmm?” Dr Crane replied as he unpacked the long item. “She will be stunned still. Get her out and place her over there.”

He said that like he’d just told him to ‘put that dirty plate anywhere’. Ace could hear everything perfectly fine. She bit her lip in fury but controlled her breathing as the strange man, apparently Jack, came towards her and surprisingly gently lifted her up. Ace was much to tense to feign being drugged still but the man didn’t seem to know the difference. He carried her out of the now empty van. Ace looked around. She didn’t recognize the place but there was an open door from which the van had entered. The moment Jack stepped down onto the factory floor, Ace kicked and hit the air. The surprise was enough for him to let go and Ace landed on her feet and immediately attempted a sprint. She made it about two whole paces before she realized that he only recently movable legs were not entirely as steady as they’d previously been.

In the next moment Tommy was standing in front of her but he didn’t get her before someone else got her by the hood of her jacket and something swept at her feet, causing her to nearly fall but for the hold on her hood. The Scarecrow wasn’t necessarily strong but he was fast. Ace struggled to find her footing but he pulled at her so she faced him. The look on her face was priceless!

_‘What the hell is THAT?!’_ she wanted to cry out.

A scythe. He was holding a freaking scythe and he’s just tumbled her with the handle.

“Continue!” Dr Crane’s slightly muffled voice said to the men. “I have _something_ I need to deal with.”

The last words dug into Ace. He learned closer to her, fearless, and whispered:

“So… You see fit to fraternize with the enemy!”

It wasn’t a question. She looked around, clearly searching for some manner of escape but she couldn’t take on all of them at once. He took her through a door into a cold, damp corridor and the moment they were slightly away from the gang in the hall, Ace found her voice.

“Hey! Let go! Can’t we… Can’t we talk? Stop! I’m sorry, okay? Just don’t…”

Don’t what? Hurt her? Fight her? Cage her like an animal? There were so any options. Scarecrow ignored her completely. He felt powerful like this. The poor thing didn’t even know where she was. Good, she deserved to suffer. As if to underline this notion to himself, he all but shoved her down a flight of stairs. She could walk on her own. There was no way out but back through him and Dr Crane was confident she’d be too scared to try it. He held the scythe carefully as he descended – it wasn’t his own but it would have to do. He could swing it in this tight space but he was incomplete without it. Near the end of the corridor Ace was zigzagging through piles of broken bricks. Silly thing. She thought she could outrun him. He smiled he he saw her freeze. He came up behind her as she stood there, realizing exactly what basement she was in. She turned to face him. Her mouth was open as if she wanted to say something but she didn’t. Then she bolted.

He’d have assumed she’d try the front door and find it locked, but she instead went up the stairs. He heard a slam on the second floor and took his sweet time ascending form the cellar. Flight must have beaten fight. There was not a hint of mercy in his delay, only the pleasure of knowing he was back on top and that he would get back at her. He finished the stairs and walked to the door of what she had called her room.

“Stop it!” Ace frantically cried once he pushed the door open. “I said I was sorry!”

He was too irate to think of the consequences if she stopped being afraid of him and started fighting back. She wouldn’t though. She needed him. He’d made sure she did by giving her just a little bit of the kindness and care she’d never been given by the government agency responsible for her upbringing behind bars. She wasn’t physically resisting him. Just pleading.

He marched into her room and shut the door behind him. She was on the bed, curled up in the corner as if that would help her. The professor rested his head against the door for a few seconds before turning around. She was pitiful sight. Eyes reddening, a few tears streaking her cheeks and her hair out of place. A man with more empathy would have crumbled beneath that look.

“Please,” she all but whispered. “I swear I wasn’t going to tell anyone about you!”

“Don’t lie to me,” Dr Crane said coldly as he stepped closer to her. “I will not tolerate it!”

He could overpower her. Knock her out with a bit of chloroform. He could keep her blindfolded and chained to the bed until he needed her. She watched him like stunned rabbit seeing a predator but she couldn’t possibly know what he was thinking. He placed the scythe against the wall and pulled off his hat and mask, placing it in the table. 

“Okay,” she squeaked when seeing the look on his face and held up her hands. “Please, calm down! It wasn’t like that! I just… The Mad Hatter was here and…”

“He was a necessary guest, you little fool!” Dr Crane hissed at her.

He threw his hands in air. His lips were pressed together so tightly he looked like he was about to lash out any second.

“I have worked _tirelessly_ to your benefit! And not one ounce of trust do you place in me! What reason could I _possibly_ have given you to repeatedly _disappoint_ me?”

His words seemed to smack her in the face. He pointed a finger at her and she stiffened.

“I had to see him! Ever since _you_ attacked him, he’s been aware of our presence! I had to ensure his loyalty or you would have paid the price for having him as an adversary! Is this what you want, girl? Half the police force after us? You back in their facility and me in Arkham? No, I dare say you have no care for what happens to me!”

Jonathan didn’t even care whether she knew what Arkham was, he was close to screaming now.

“I didn’t know!” screamed Ace as she rose to her knees. “You never tell me anything! You don’t _care_! I didn’t ask to be in this dump! I didn’t ask to be what I am! It’s not _fair!_ ”

Her voiced cracked but Jonathan’s expression didn’t change. He stepped over to her, grabbed her face with both hands, forced her to look at him and lowered his face until his nose was few inches from hers. It was an enormous display of perceived power and even in his rage it was not an accident that he was purposefully starring straight into her eyes.

_‘Yes. Know that I have no fear of you,’_ he thought to himself, gleefully congratulating himself on the amount of control he was exercising.

“Ace,” he whispered, almost affectionately but rising in volume as he continued. “What do you know of bad or good? It is the scurrying insects that make up this country who kept you a prisoner. All of them, Ace, all of them guilty. They never offered you anything! You would bow and crawl for them when they didn’t save you? The truth is that only their intention matters! Only ends dictate what you are! They’d let you die in the street before they’d lend you a hand – including that boy. Is that what you want? In the street or in a cell? Rotting alone.”

He smiled, enjoying the look of pure terror in her eyes, but she didn’t dare move or look away. The look on his face changed and the pleasure he was taking in saying these things was evident.

“I can give you freedom. I will bring them to their knees for you – trembling, begging for mercy! I am the lord of despair! I am the punishing nightmare! I am a god of darkness! I will have justice! I will have liberation! And I _care!_ I am the _only_ one who ever cared about you! The _only_ one who ever will.”

He had her. He could do whatever he wanted. Fear had petrified her. He could have Tommy and the rest take her apart and she couldn’t fight back. But no, the professor of fear had never been much for excessive violence in the first place – and certainly not doing it himself. It was beneath him. It was counterproductive and thuggish.

“No!” she croaked. “It’s not true! Robin was nice to me! He was!”

“You’d turn your back on me? I who gave you a home? I who protect you? They despise you. They’d run you out out of town like a monster, if they knew what you were. They are terrified. Ruled by fear of what they cannot understand.”

A massive sob escaped her. He lowered his hands to her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She didn’t react but he embraced her awkwardly and whispered:

“There now, Ace. We can be friends, can’t we?”

She shuddered, then raised her head and pulled a little away from him.

“I’m not a monster!” she declared. “I’m not…”

“You’re nothing of the sort. You’re a clever, remarkable girl.”

Ace shook her head, and folded her arms around herself.

“ _You’re_ a monster!” she cried and jumped off the bed. “I _know_ what Arkham is! I _know_ who they put there!”

“You don’t mean that,” Dr Crane responded but the words still poked him a little.

He reached out, meaning to grab her again but in the next moment she slapped him across the face! He froze. When she realized what she had done, she nearly collapsed on the floor in shock. He grabbed hold of the back of her jacket and pulled her to him. It was difficult as she was almost dead weight and crying over and over that she ‘didn’t mean to’. Nonsense.

She had to be punished for that. He’d put the fear of… Well, _him_ into her. Oh, to hear her terrified screams with just a little dose of fear toxin! But even if he’d had some in his possession, Jonathan couldn’t possibly have brought himself to do that – a realization he quickly shoved aside. Instead he sat down on her bed, the metal frame creaking beneath him as he pulled her over his lap – instead opting for some a little more… parental in nature. He raised his hand and brought it down on the seat of her dress. Not until the third smack rang out in the small room, did a sound escape her. The shock was too much for her. She kicked and wiggled to get free but she was only exhausting herself. He was putting some strength behind it too. It was all he could do not to laugh as her helplessness.

“Stop!” she croaked but he ignored her and continued his assault.

“Am _I_ a monster?!” he hissed. “You dare say that? You, who had me searching half the city for you! You, for whose sake I couldn’t save Nathaniel. He took a fall from the third floor, don’t you know? You, who should know that not everything that is caged deserves to be! Or perhaps you have come around to their way of thinking? Perhaps you’d prefer to return to their care?”

He only managed to give her around eight smacks throughout his ranting but he ceased. Then there was nothing but her sobbing and the sound of his own strained breathing. He let go of her but she remained in place, pouring tears onto the floor. He stared at her back. She seemed so small and weak. He could barely even take any pleasure in her pain. He carefully placed his hand on her back. She cried louder at his touch so he instantly removed it. In one fluid motion he pulled her up to sit on the bed beside him. She fell against him like a ragdoll. Dr Crane held her up and tried to regain control over himself. She’d set him off. What on earth was he thinking? Everything he’d worked so hard for could be ruined now!

“You hit me,” he suddenly heard her sniff into his sleeve.

“Shhh!” he shushed her and then: “I didn’t hurt you. I am not a monster after all.”

“I’m not either,” she added.

“I know what they did to you,” he said softly into her hair. “I don’t want you to ever see what they do to people they _want_ to suffer. I know. I _know._ ”

“You’re insane,” she replied sorrowfully.

“Show me a sane man and I shall cure him for you,” the doctor replied.

Something almost like a chuckle escaped her.

“It hurt,” she said. “You can’t do that. You’re not in charge of me. Don’t pretend that you are to people. I don’t like it.”

“How can I keep you safe if I cannot trust you to do as you’re told? We are going to be partners, you and I. That is a sort of family, is it not?”

That was always what they wanted. He’d play with her tragedies and losses as much as he needed to so it would make her need him. Love and attention. He could provide one of those. She said nothing.

“Your parents would be so proud of you, Ace,” he poked her further.

“No, they wouldn’t!” she suddenly exclaimed and buried her face in his coat. “I destroyed them!”

“Oh, but they would – because _I_ am so proud of you. You’re such a bright girl.”

_‘Good gracious, why are they always so predictable?’_

He _was_ very proud of her. She was the most powerful weapon he’d ever owned. Bam! There is was. She glanced up and smiled a little, holding onto him as tightly as he held her.

“You just said Nate got hurt because of me! And… I’m a criminal,” she replied but her voice didn’t sound as full of despair. Neither of them really cared what happened to Nate but only one of them felt guilty about that.

“Who isn’t? Think of us like Robin Hood, my dear. We must fight them no matter what they call us.”

“What? Are we going to give to the poor?” she replied almost jokingly, sitting up straight.

“Oh Ace. We _are_ the poor. We must stick together. You do not know how powerful they are – but I do not wish to frighten you. Just know that you belong here.”

_‘You belong to me.’_

She nodded, furiously wiping her face with one sleeve. This had better be enough to put her in her place or more… permanent measures would have to be taken. After all, he’d need her soon.


	9. Rook to Bishop

As she stood in front the massive tower, a cold unease crawled down her spine. Her form was bathed in the neon light of the letters swirling above her and Ace hesitated for a second, thinking of what had brought her here.

She remembered a night full of terror after she’d been returned to Dr Crane. Ace felt conflicted and disgusted with herself. There was nothing the man had said that did anything to dissuade her of the notion that he was mad as a hatter without the charm. Even so, he’d called her family. Sort of. She wanted that to be true and she hated herself for wanting that. For the first time in years she’d allowed herself to think, really think, about her parents. Were they even alive? Had they disappeared into some institution? Could they ever be saved? They more she thought, the more hopeless she became and the more she wanted him to tell her everything was going to be fine.

She had emerged in the morning, red-eyed and determined to decry his behaviour – or at least reinforce that she wouldn’t let him harm her ever again. But he’d greeted her so cheerfully, like nothing had ever happened. He’d taken her around and introduced her to the new people and she’d felt very much elevated. True to his word, he’d presented her as his partner or at least a second-in-command and it felt so, so good. It was alarming the way Dr Crane seemed to change so suddenly all the time, but Ace was too happy to receive his kindness to worry about the possibility of him turning back to that… that thing.

There was some confusion and discontent among the men and Ace found out why soon. Costumes. Boxes of costumes, wigs, makeup, filming equipment and the like littered the factory floor at the end on the cellar hall. It was clear enough the men had known what the heist was for but losing Nate over it didn’t seem to sit well.

“You’ll take you pick among these,” Dr Crane had said.

He’d taken to wearing that awful costume around the abandoned factory, but he generally did not do so when Ace was around and hardly ever in the building where they had made their home.

“What are they for?” she’d asked.

He’d given her some vague admonishment about making herself unrecognizable if she ever wanted to go out again – now that Robin might know her. Ace sensed this wasn’t the entire story though and she was right. The following night Dr Crane had entered her excuse for a room, bringing with him a cup of tea and the news that now Ace would get a chance to ‘prove herself’.

“Come now, child,” he said. “Don’t look so forlorn! It is only a little dress up.”

Still she’d had a feeling that she could quite describe. A sense of foreboding, dread and suspicion.

“Why? Why are we doing anything? I thought you said we had to stay unnoticed?”

“Now, now!” he replied and handed her the tea. “It’s nothing spectacular. I must continue my work, Ace. You recall, I trust, that I used to help people? You want to help people, don’t you Ace? Help me. You’re my partner, my apprentice.”

He paused.

“Of course if you’d rather not,” he said dismissively and Ace had almost jumped at him, spilling the tea, ensuring him that she wasn’t ungrateful and of course she’d help.

Even though that feeling didn’t quite leave, she still felt validated and so honoured to be trusted to help. Now a building towered above her. The neon sign above said ‘Bishop Industries’ in warm orange. She was blonde for the night, wearing a rather ghastly blue dress which looked liked it was designed for a girl much younger than Ace but apparently Dr Crane felt it made her look ‘normal’. Now, this Disney-channel teenager silently repeated her instructions to herself.

_‘They will be expecting someone of that name. You have no reason to fret, my dear. They will take you here. The door is located at the end of the hallway. Once you’ve unlocked it, descend the main staircase calmly, once you’re outside you may contact me for further instructions.’_

That was all clear enough but the longer she stared at that neon sign, the more complicated it felt. She could feel the weight of the walkie-talkie in her bag and it reassured her somewhat. Ace knew she wasn’t supposed to use it unless absolutely necessary so she refrained from the urge to pull it out. The large clock on the Mason building showed 7 am. It was time.

Cautiously Ace began to walk across the street, towards the large glass front of Bishop Industries. It was a tower of a building. She did her best to breathe normally but even so one of the security guards gave her side-eye as she pushed the revolving doors. He didn’t say a word though as she headed straight for the information desk.

“Welcome to Bishop Industries, how may I help you, Miss?” said a young man sitting there.

“I…” Ace began.

Why was she so nervous about this? Dr Crane had assured her that her part wasn’t dangerous. Ace slowly got an ID card out the bag and pushed it across the desk to him. He typed the name into the computer and nodded.

“Ah! You’re here for the internship. Take a seat, Miss Hope. Jane Foster will be down in a minute to get you.”

Ace nodded and planted herself on a nearby sky-blue couch, which was as stylish and in keeping the company logo aesthetic as it was uncomfortable. She stared at her sneakers the entire time, constantly worried that someone would catch on. No one did. After a while she heard the sound of heels clicking and looked up to see a lady in her early 40s, dressed in grey and carrying clipboard.

“Elizabeth Hope?” she smiled and shook Ace’s hand. “Right this way, we’ll be using the lift.”

Mrs Foster entered first, swiped a card and pressed a button. The more time they stood there silently in the elevator, the worse Ace felt. Oddly, she actually felt bad for being quiet and giving a bad first impression which was stupid since she wasn’t actually wanting to work here. Upwards they went before a distinct ‘ding’ told them they’d arrived.

“We’ll be right down here,” said Mrs Foster and indicated a door. “But don’t worry I’ll take you back down again.”

“Uhm, Ma’am?” said Ace. “That’s really okay, I can see myself out.”

She had no idea how she’d keep an interview going. That wasn’t exactly what she’d been briefed on and more importantly she needed to be left alone.

“That’s policy, Miss Hope, I cannot leave you unattended for security reasons. You couldn’t operate that many things without a key card anyway.”

Ace froze. A key card? Dr Crane had said nothing about that. How was she even supposed to be on her own long enough to unlock that door?

“Ma’am!” she squeaked. “I… Might I… Could you tell me where the bathroom is?”

The lady seemed surprised by Ace’s behaviour but nodded and pointed to a door a little further down the hall in the other direction. Ace assured her she’d be quick about it and hastily disappeared into the restroom. Panicked, she opened her bag and pulled out the walkie-talkie. Would it even work at this height? She had no time to consider it and fumbled with the buttons.

“Hello? Dr Crane?” she hissed into it.

There was some disturbance.

“Yes?”

The signal was weak. He sounded annoyed. Ace hastily spat out her concerns:

“She’s saying there’s a key card to open doors and she won’t leave me alone and I don’t know what to say to her in that interview thingy and what am I supposed to do? I don’t know where to go and you didn’t say there was a key card!”

There was silence for a minute before he replied:

“So? Get the key card.”

“But I don’t know how!” she replied.

“Take care of her, Ace.”

“H-how do mean?” she asked.

“You know what I mean,” he replied impatiently.

Ace felt sick. He’d never asked her that. Never. She’d only ever done that to survive, or to bad people or if she couldn’t help it. Only when the Joker… No, she didn’t want to think about it. What was worse, he didn’t even sound surprised there was a key card at all.

“This is what it is to be partners, Ace. Do what you have to do. Make me proud.”

“But…” she said but the connection was gone.

The other device had been turned off. Maybe she could stay in the bathroom forever. Maybe she could tell the lady she made a mistake but Dr Crane would be awfully angry if she didn’t get that door open. Shaken she exited the bathroom to find Jane Foster waiting for her in the hallway, her key card dangling from her pocket almost mockingly.

“Just through here,” she said and Ace followed her through the door.

They took seats at opposite sides of a round table and as Mrs Foster began pulling out forms, Ace mourned Jane’s sanity. She had to do it. There was no other way.

“Are you alright, Miss Hope?”

_No! Perhaps not!_ Ace looked up. She could try. There was no guarantee. She locked eyes with the lady and threw her demands onto her psyche.

_‘Give me that card! It’s mine! Give it to me!’_

Jane’s face went pale as Ace concentrated as hard as she could. She’d never been able to do this as she liked before. It had always just… happened, when she needed it to. Her fingers dug into the upholstery of her chair as she stared the poor woman down. Mrs Foster seemed like a statue for several seconds before she flew to a standing position, visibly unwell.

“Get out!” she cried. “I don’t know what you’re playing at but this isn’t funny! I’m calling security if you don’t get up!”

The teenager almost dissolved from disappointment. When she didn’t immediately rise, Mrs Foster advanced on her and Ace jumped up.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered before she once again locked eyes with her victim.

Destruction was so much easier. She felt no malice coming from her as everything this woman was, was carefully torn to pieces. Ace wanted to throw up and held on to the back of the chair to steady herself. The worst part was that it felt good. There was a loud thump as Jane Foster collapsed on the floor in front of her, now little more than a body. Ace hyperventilated for a few moments before she took the key card and left the room. Ace wiped her nose with her arm as she hurried down the hallway, reaching to door on the end. She swiped the card and the lock clicked open. Ace pushed the door up. There was some sort of maintenance staircase which connected to seemingly every floor. But just outside on the landing were three people she already knew. Two of the new men Dr Crane had engaged and a third.

“Thanks awfully,” said the Mad Hatter and snatched the key card from her hand.

Without another word the three men ascended the stairs and left her by herself. She hurriedly retreated back into the hallway and shut the door behind her. She leaned against it for a few seconds as she tried desperately to make heads and tails of what was going on. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she had no clue what this was all about. Ace hurried to the elevator and found that only to find that every floor required a key card. In frustration she pounded her hands against the buttons, before getting back out and running down to the door, pushing it open and getting out to the staircase. She ran down the stairs as fast as she dared. By the time she neared the end she was winded and her head was spinning. At the bottom she found a maintenance room with a door and a picked lock. She emerged in a small side street and once she was a little way down the street she fished the walkie-talkie out of her bag.

“Dr Crane?” she said and waited.

A sound was heard. The line was back up.

“There will be a map in your bag. Follow it and remain at that destination until I retrieve you,” said the Scarecrow in a tone which did not invite discussion.

“You… You knew! About the card!”

Ace hissed. She was shaken.

“Ace?” said Dr Crane without a hint of concern.

“What?”

“Do you trust me?”

Ace grimaced but of course he couldn’t see her.

“No,” she replied truthfully in a small voice.

“That’s my girl.”

Once again there was no further response as she called his name. She knew she should be furious. There was something nice about thinking he had everything under control and knew best. She opened the backpack and pulled out the map. It was some sort of café which was marked and named on a tourist map. There she stood, debating whether to actually go there now or wait a bit before trying to call Dr Crane again. Why didn’t he understand that she needed him to tell her it wasn’t on purpose? That everything was fine? There was a small voice in her ear saying that it was the Joker all over again. He was just using her to melt people’s brains. Ace didn’t want to listen to it. Something moved high above her. Ace spotted it out of the corner of her eye and looked up just in time so see someone jumping between the roofs of two buildings. A red, green and black blur.

Without hesitation, Ace bolted towards the back of the building. The only thing she could think of was that night and how she’d thought her friend would die. And now? If he walked right in there, he’d walk into the arms of the Mad Hatter. Another thought hit her that if Robin was here, then Batman might come too – and what if they attacked Dr Crane?

“Robin!” she cried out, when she found to way to easily access the roof.

There was nothing happening above her so Ace quickly sorted through the files of her brain, looking for something useful. As it often is with brains, they tend to pick the first thing that comes up and seems like it might work, so Ace took a deep breath and screamed as loudly as she could. You’d have thought she was dying. The people on the street around her instantly looked towards her. Some even walked her way until they realized there was no visible reason why she’d scream and so they became nervous of going near her. Someone did a spectacular flip off the side of building and landed beside her.

“Miss, what seems to be…”

But he didn’t get to say more because Ace grabbed his arm and exclaimed:

“Robin!”

It took him a moment. Between the eyes and the voice, he pieced together her identity. The moment he did, he frowned.

“You! Are you completely nuts?! What are you doing? And where did you go! I told you to wait by the bike! I searched everywhere for you! Have you any idea how much trouble I got in for bringing you?”

“What do mean?” Ace said, confused. “You didn’t _tell_ Batman, did you?”

“How was I going to explain away looking all over town for someone I was simultaneously pretending didn’t exist? And why are you screaming? I have to work!”

“No!” Ace shrieked. “I mean…”

“Look, Pumpkin-face…”

“No, just… Just hear me out, okay?” Ace replied as she stalled for time. “It’s… It’s that plant lady.”

“Poison Ivy?”

Robin looked puzzled. Ace held onto the sleeves of his costume. She was grasping at straws but for once both her – usually conflicting, loyalties decreed that Robin definitely shouldn’t be allowed to enter that building.

“Yeah, she’s… I’ve seen her. And I think she’s up to something. I… I saw her picture in the newspaper and I think I saw her and some shady-looking people just half an hour ago. At… The university.”

“You’re sure?” said Robin and he didn’t seem entirely convinced.

“Look, you don’t have to believe me – nobody else did anyway,” replied Ace, trying her best to look offended.

Robin turned and pressed something on his arm. She heard a familiar voice demand to know where Robin was.

“A person claims to have seen Ivy,” he explained. “At Gotham University.”

Then he continued with a a lot of ‘yes’s and ‘mmm’s before ending the conversation but he held his hand over the device and it muffled it enough that Ace couldn’t make out most of it.

“So?” she asked, releasing him.

“He’ll check it out,” Robin replied. “Look I’m not mad. It’s just… You really scared me, okay? Is your guardian with you? How did you get from GU to here so fast anyway?”

“Oh.. Yeah. Sorry. And yes, eh, he drove me. I just… Well, you know.”

Robin probably didn’t know but he shrugged.

“It’s okay. Well, I’ll se you around. I’ll admit, I didn’t think you’d be a blonde.”

It took her a moment to remember she was still wearing a wig but she didn’t reveal as much.

“I’m going. I’m on my own today, it seems. Nice seeing your face, sidekick!” he laughed and shot a grip hook towards the roofs, disappearing before Ace could intervene.

“No wait!” she cried after him but he was gone.

This was so much worse. Ace kicked the wall in frustration. She’d wanted to stop him and now he was going in there with no backup. Furious with herself, she pulled off the wig and threw it next to a garbage container. Once she’d gotten tired of this, she ran back onto the street and jogged in no particular direction before returning to a walking pace and eventually setting a course for that café as she had nowhere else to go. All she could do now was hope. Eventually she did find her way there. It wasn’t exactly a café despite it being named so. Rather it was a sort of Italian restaurant, except that no one working there had anything Italian about them and despite having a dusty menu, it seemed to only serve black coffee to its few patrons. Ace took a seat and for the next few hours, no one approached her. The staff did not even ask her to purchase anything and that didn’t lessen her discomfort.

A little past noon, a tall figure walked into the establishment. Ace looked up, like she had every single time it had happened during the day – which wasn’t many. Dr Crane looked perfectly normal, no funny costume or anything. He nodded to the waiter and he nodded back. Then he went straight to Ace. He looked pleased and it did relax her a little.

“There you are!” he said cheerfully as if he’d expectedly her to anywhere else but the place he’d told her to be.

Ace opened her mouth – a million questions were about to spill out. What happened? Did he know about the cards? Was Robin there? Dr Crane simply smile and lifted a finger at her before she could utter a word.

“There’s enough time for chit chat when we are home. Come now, I have a little surprise for you,” he said and helped her to her feet. “You have a visitor.”

_‘Oh, shit!’_ Ace screamed internally. _‘Robin!’_


	10. Advantage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Scarecrow chapter. So twisted thoughts ahead.

The rarely used florescent lamps were humming softly. It reminded Jonathan of a disused hospital. He had worked at one once, a long time ago. Not that he really missed those days. Not enough research work. This suited him though. It created an aura of professionalism and as he took his work extremely serious, he liked to imagine himself in a state funded facility with the recognition and respect his work deserved.

A quiet girl shuffled after him like an old dog. Jonathan was dressed down in a shirt, dress pants and forest green cardigan which – combined with his serene expression and smile, contrasted their surroundings and made him look displaced. She was nervous and she hadn’t looked him in eye since they’d left the café. She had been slowly and deliberately lowering her speed for a few minutes and drifted further and further behind him. Jonathan countered this by occasionally stopping to check his pocket watch or the state of a random wall so she’d have no choice but to catch up.

He’d pushed her. First one thing, then another. With every action he pulled her closer and pusher her to his bidding. She’d rebelled and he’d made her forgive him. Then he would do it again, increasing in severity every time. He was curious how far he could take it. It was such a rush! He was giddy and almost chasséd down the hall. It was too tempting not try this out. He knew of course on a logical level that he should wait, bide his time, but it was so difficult when when everything was within his reach. 

The reached a door near the end and Dr Crane pulled out a set of key to unlock a hastily installed padlock. He didn’t fear burglars but he was most particular about other persons not touching his work. The lock clicked loudly in the concrete hall and Jonathan pushed the door open. The girl had stopped and made to move to draw nearer to the door. He wedged the door open and proceeded inside regardless. The room was full of sealed buckets and tanks – the spoils of the day’s adventure and what had been collected during their first days here. They were beneath the building they had taken up residence in, in a damp and poorly vented room which a saner man than Crane would have deemed unfit for a chemistry lab.

“I regret I will be working here for the next few days,” he said cheerfully over his shoulder to the girl, who had made it to the doorstep and no further. “I should expect you to aide me in certain matters – won’t that be grand?”

He had no intention of actually teaching her how to make the fear inducing solution – a magician never revealed his tricks, but it couldn’t hurt with a helping hand. Besides he rather liked the idea of an apprentice. Someone who’d look up to him, hang on his every word, admire his skills.

Carefully, like a cautious deer entering a meadow, she advanced. Jonathan did not close the door. He let her have that illusion of an escape. She had to come by herself.

“I’m sure you’re wondering what it is for,” he said. “We’re going to make something very special, something essential to my studies.”

Ace showed absolutely no enthusiasm. This annoyed Jonathan greatly. He didn’t like not being paid attention to. Her complaining he could deal with, her weeping, her anger. They all could be manipulated. Indifference was unacceptable.

“As I said, I have a gift for you,” he said.

There! Her eyes met his. It was only briefly but it was enough. He’d seen fear there. It reassured him. That was the best emotion there was – in others.

“Come,” he said sweetly and motioned to another door.

It was an old supply room, and yes, Crane had preferred housing their guest in one of his old cells under the factory, but he didn’t want her to see one of those. Not quite yet. He placed his hand on the door handle but he did not open it before Ace had taken the agonisingly slow steps over to him. She walked like she was going to the gallows.

_‘Such dramatics’_ , Dr Crane thoughts to himself. _‘I spoil her and this is the thanks I get.’_

She was trembling. He could see it clearly. He placed a hand on her back, which was to comfort her and certainly not just him making absolutely sure she’d be going through the door. Then he opened it. Darkness filled the space within. A muffled groan of pain sounded from the shadows. The girl instantly jumped backwards but of course he kept a hold of her.

“No!” she cried.

Good. She hadn’t misplaced her tongue entirely. She didn’t fight him though as he pulled her forwards into the blackness and fumbled for the light switch. Little whining sounds came from her but no actual words. It was odd, he thought, that she seemed so reluctant to face this.

“There we are!” he said as he finally flicked on the light. “Now that’s much better isn’t it? Nothing at all to be scared of, you’ll see!”

He knew what to expect so he kept his eyes on her. Her pupils were dilated fully. She blinked a few times before she had adjusted to the light and then she saw the contents of the room. To Jonathan’s astonishment, the fear vanished and was replaced with confusion and repulsion. His own kind expression hardened as he considered why. In Jonathan’s eyes this was the best possible gift because he’d have thought so himself. A man was tied to chair in the centre of the room – gagged and barely conscious due to a heavy dose of chloroform. But she’d expected someone else, he realized.

“You… You can’t be… What are you doing?” the young lady gasped.

“It’s a reward,” he replied, struggling to hide his feelings. “You did very well today.”

She shook her head.

“What are you expecting me to do?”

“You said yourself he was a bad guy,” Dr Crane explained as he carefully moved behind her. “And you’re right, Ace. He is a criminal. He controls people, imprisons their minds. I’m giving you a chance to rectify it.”

His choice of words was of course deliberate.

“He should be stopped, shouldn’t he? Don’t you want to make sure he never hurts anyone again?”

Ace whipped around to face him. The horror had resumed its place.

“You’re asking me?” she croaked accusingly. “You’re asking me _that!_ ”

“Oh, shush,” replied Jonathan. “You’ve done it some many times. I thought you’d be pleased considering the sentiments you made so clear some days ago.”

He didn’t think she would be any such thing and he took delight in reminding her how much trouble she was. A loud muffled protest was heard. Dr Crane kept his eyes on hers for a few additional seconds. In a fit of annoyance and impatience Jonathan marched over to the prisoner. 

“What’s that, Tetch? Something to say?” he said, in a mock-surprised tone.

He roughly pulled the scarf covering Jervis’ mouth down.

“Crane!” Screamed the Mad Hatter, slurring the word. “We had a deal! You… You absolute monstrosity!”

“Now, now,” replied the professor as if he addressed a student. “That’s not terribly polite, is it? Did you truly expect me to let you walk out of this with the means to bend a hundred minds to your will?”

“Stop it! Will you please just stop it!” interjected Ace.

Dr Crane sighed.

“ _Really_ ,” he said. “There’s no reason for all this yelling.”

“I’ll… I’ll tell!” said Jervis Tetch. “And it’ll be solitary! Yes, it will!”

_‘Ridiculous man,’_ Crane thought.This might well hurt his reputation at Arkham but it wasn’t sending him anywhere he didn’t want to go. He wasn’t exactly planning on getting caught. The Mad Hatter sounded like he was struggling to have a logical thought at the moment.

“You’re boring me, old friend,” he stated. “Ace, my dear, why don’t you and I discuss this calmly?”

“Are you going to hurt him?”

Her tone was firm and accusatory. Her fists were clenched at her sides and her body was stiff. He’d be proud of her spirits if it wasn’t him she was being a nuisance to.

“You would have,” Jonathan replied. “That night.”

Ace’s cheeks flushed and her eyes darted around the room, looking anywhere but at Dr Crane.

“What the devil are you playing at?” shrieked Jervis Tetch, clearly having not forgotten the incident Crane had managed to gaslight him in regards to.

His input was not appreciated and Jonathan re-gagged him. Perhaps he was actually rushing things. He’d forced her to use her powers earlier that day, perhaps it was too much to expect her to do it when ordered to already? Still, once you’d begun something, you ought to finish it. He exited the small room, leaving the girl and the prisoner behind to collect their thoughts and began working at the nearest table. He did so with the demeanour of a man fixing himself dinner and not a crazed psychologist mixing chemicals. As he felt rather optimistic, he even began humming to himself – small distorted fragments of a Haydn symphony he could not recall the number of. He wasn’t silly enough to complete this concoction without a mask, but he was only trying to keep himself busy.

“Would you hurt him?” a voice said.

Jonathan calmly continued, not looking up. He didn’t think she was still speaking of Jervis.

“Who, my dear?”

“Robin,” she mumbled.

Dr Crane rolled his eyes at the wall but kept his tone pleasant.

“That boy? Why! What on earth would I do that for?”

Some sounds erupted from the Mad Hatter and Jonathan was thankful he’d gagged the man.

“Do you know what I think?” said Ace, right next to him.

Now it was Jonathan’s turn to be surprised. He hadn’t heard her move. He looked to his side to see her there, staring at his work rather than him.

“I think you knew I couldn’t get through that door without a key,” she said, coldly.

“You’re not wrong,” he replied after considering lying to her.

She didn’t really react. He placed the substance he was holding back down onto the table. Suddenly he felt her leaning against his arm.

“Don’t lie to me,” she replied in an unconvincing but obvious imitation of Jonathan’s own voice - just as he had delivered the words to her some days ago.

She turned her head and looked back up at him. Just for a second he did almost flinch – just case, but a moment later his lips curled into a smile and he chuckled. A smirk had appeared on Ace’s face as well and Jonathan lightly tapped her nose in a mock-chastisement. Even so he had to tell himself everything was alright. He found her… Unsettling like this. The feeling that he should be worried was hard to shake entirely though he tried. She took a deep breath.

“I thought,” she explained. “It was him. I thought you’d… I’m sorry.”

“Poor girl,” Jonathan mumbled and it did sound like he meant it. “You’ve been under so much stress. I promised you we’d be partners, and that is what I want, but I understand if you’re not ready to take on this much responsibility. I cannot let him go, Ace. Think of what he could do to me… To you - to other people! It’s alright, I can take care of this.”

He lovingly petted her hair as he said those final words. Ace immediately glanced in the direction of the captive villain.

“Can I try something?” she said, looking worried at his words.

“What, child?”

She walked towards their prisoner, cautiously. Jervis was becoming steadily more awake and the danger of the situation was not lost on him, especially as he did not know what she was up to. Jonathan watched with great curiosity. Jervis had stiffened up completely. He stared at her – wide-eyed, which was almost funny. She stopped in front of him. Jonathan didn’t know what he was expecting – it wasn’t like Ace’s powers were something you could see, but it was rather anti-climactic to just watch her standing there, looking at someone. He returned his attention to the chemicals and rejoiced internally. She was actually going to do it!

“Goddammit!” Ace cried, causing him to almost drop a bottle.

He glanced at her and saw her kick the leg of the Jervis’ chair with tremendous force for a person her size. What was worse, the Mad Hatter didn’t look any madder than he usually was! She spun around and tore at her own hair furiously.

“ _Shit!_ ” she hissed.

“Ace, what’s the matter?” Jonathan asked.

Concern flooded him. If she was having trouble with her abilities, that was bad news for him. He rushed to her side, catching hold of her shoulders to steady her. She frowned and tried to shoo his hands off of her.

“Just give me some time! It _has_ to work!” she said.

“What has to work?”

“It’s just,” she explained, surrendering to his inquiries. “Sometimes… I thought I could… Well, you wouldn’t need to hurt him then. We could let him go.”

Jonathan was intrigued to say the least. He didn’t even urge her to explain herself better.

“I thought maybe I could make him forget he was ever here. Or make him think he did it all on his own.”

“You can do this?” Jonathan replied.

He’d let go of her in shock. That couldn’t be. He’d never read anything mentioning she had that kind of powers. A shudder was running down his spine.

“Sometimes,” she shrugged and dragged her foot back and forth over the concrete floor. “But it mostly doesn’t… If I try that is. I just thought maybe...”

It felt like the floor had swallowed Jonathan whole and spat him back up. He and Jervis both starred at her in a mix or awe and absolute terror – differing on the ratio from person to person. The overwhelming potential of this washed over the Scarecrow first. It was more that madness. It was controlled and precisely induced horror! It was operations in a huge and untraceable scale beyond what he could have ever imagined. Unlike the Mad Hatter it didn’t make him fear for himself. The thought didn’t even cross him. Still, there was something poking at him in the back of his mind. His eyes sparkled with jubilation. His experiments could be performed almost on a conveyer belt! He’d finally have the amount of raw data that his colleagues in the field couldn’t possibly deny or ignore! He alone would have the key to unlocking the minds greatest mysteries and potential. He alone would master fear!

There was the nagging thought again. Jonathan ignored it with rather more difficulty. There was nothing more important than the advantage this gave him! Nothing! He was getting silly. She looked almost ashamed of telling him. He partly agreed that she should be, having kept this from him. He’d have to work with her. Unlock a way for her to master this. She’d only trust him more, be so grateful to him. He’d be the most dangerous man alive. Hah! Jervis’ threats were water! No one in Arkham would dare oppose him! He could even take on the entire justice league with her! She could give him armies!

And there is was again! That awful feeling! Clawing at him! Jonathan grimaced. His hands were shaking on her shoulders with part excitement, part unsettlement. His heart was beating loudly, his pulse quickening. He exhaled loudly in exasperation and and yielded to the feeling. He briefly used her to steady himself before he spoke:

“How long have you been able to do this?”

She didn’t say anything immediately so he shook her a little to prompt an answer.

“I don’t know,” she said. “A few months?”

The feeling back-flipped in his abdomen.

“That’s… Unusual,” he replied.

“What do you mean? Everything about me is!” she protested.

Jonathan let go of he and leaned on his work table. Her powers shouldn’t be evolving. He’d rarely heard of cases where these things did. This could have unpredictable consequences.

“Is something wrong?” she demanded as she sensed his unease.

“It’s probably nothing,” he replied with a weak smile. “Don’t worry so. You’ve had a trying day. Who’s to say you shan’t succeed with a bit of rest? Why don’t you go upstairs and sleep a little? You can send one of the men out for some food if you like.”

She seemed reassured by this and smiled.

“What should I tell them to get?” she asked.

“Whatever you please,” he replied. “You’re their superior, are you not?”

Ace chuckled and nodded. It evidently please her to be in charge of something. Even if it was take-away. Jonathan still waved her out of the room and waited until her footsteps were far down the hallway. He was going to keep an eye on her. She wouldn’t go anywhere tonight. He was quiet for a moment, pensive. Gracious, he was pathetic! What was it to him whether this would damage her? She was still usable, was she not? Even so the idea of destroying her in process didn’t sit entirely well with him.

Jonathan glanced over at his prisoner. He couldn’t really pinpoint what was going on behind Tetch’s eyes. A persistent fear of the Mad Hatter knowing what Jonathan felt wrapped itself around him. To shake himself out of this, he strutted over to him.

“Well,” said he. “I suppose you’re not entirely useless after all.”

He pulled the fabric out of his former accomplice’s mouth.

“Any thoughts?”


End file.
